Kolkata, March 24 CPI(M) leader Dipsita Dhar expresses disappointment that the mother of the victim in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case wants to contest the West Bengal assembly elections on a BJP ticket, but maintains her commitment to seeking justice for the traumatized medical intern.
The 32-year-old Left candidate from the Dum Dum Uttar constituency in Kolkata asserted that her campaign extends to supporting women across the state who continue to experience gender-based violence.
Dhar, who is challenging TMC heavyweight candidate and minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, stated that the elections provide her with another opportunity to seek justice for "Abhaya," a name given to the victim by the protesting millions in the state.
She added that her assembly segment borders Panihati constituency in North 24 Parganas district, where the victim lived, and from which her mother is seen as a likely candidate for the BJP.
The BJP has neither confirmed nor declined her candidacy.
"This election was emotionally significant from the start," Dhar said. "Because right next to my constituency lived a woman, a young doctor, whose dreams were cruelly shattered. And despite the public outcry, justice wasn't delivered. The investigation was flawed, and the real perpetrators remain free."
Dhar emphasized that her commitment to seeking justice for "Abhaya" remains unchanged, even after the victim's mother announced her intention to contest the election on a BJP ticket.
"This election is about ensuring that women in Bengal are not treated as disposable," Dhar stated.
She countered the claims that the Left party used the "Abhaya" case for its own political gains.
"I have no issue with that," she said. "It's her right. But I want to emphasize that the CPI(M) stood by the family and demanded justice for the victim, not because it wanted to gain political advantage."
Dhar maintained that her focus remains on seeking justice for "Abhaya," even though the victim's mother has announced her intention to contest the election on a BJP ticket.
"Justice for Abhaya was never meant to be restricted to just the victim or her family," she said. "It was a call against injustice to all women who have been affected by gender violence under the current TMC government in Bengal. We did what we did because it was the right thing to do and expose the rot in the system."
Dhar, who is a public advocate and activist on gender issues, also pointed out that the SIR (Supreme Court-mandated roll revision) has disenfranchised legitimate voters, particularly vulnerable sections of the population, including Matuas, working-class people, Muslims, and women.
She alleged that the SIR exercise has created an "atmosphere of fear," where people fear being branded as doubtful voters or being deported or sent to detention camps.
Dhar criticized Mamata Banerjee's administration, stating that her opposition to the SIR exercise was merely "eyewash."
"The role that Mamata Banerjee promised to play, like 'no SIR,' was merely empty rhetoric," she said.
Dhar claimed that the optics of the chief minister donning the lawyer's robe in the Supreme Court, arguing against SIR implementation, haven't instilled confidence in voters.
"If those Mamata Banerjee posturings really worked, so many people would not be confused about whether they are rightful citizens or not," she said.
Dhar said her party's biggest challenge is to recover votes that were lost to the BJP in previous elections and restore its political presence in the state assembly, which has been reduced to a blank.
"People who were disillusioned and angry with TMC, the BJP seemed like a viable option to them. But they have now seen how the CBI handled the RG Kar case, how it handled the Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal cases of scams, and failed to punish the perpetrators. I believe people who were thinking of voting for the BJP to teach TMC a lesson now realize that’s not going to happen. I hope a lot of them are going to gravitate towards us," she said.
Dhar added that the party is likely to gain significant support from the Matua community in the wake of their disenfranchisement.
On countering Chandrima Bhattacharya as an opponent, Dhar said it didn't matter whether it was her or any other TMC leader.
"They will be held accountable for the party’s underperformance in the seat, and they will be questioned for jeopardizing the case of Abhaya. They will still have to answer why they stole jobs from the young people of Bengal. Our fight is political; the individual doesn’t matter," she said.
Asked how she dealt with the recent defection of Pratikur Rahaman, her one-time comrade-in-arms, to the TMC, Dhar said she relegated him to the realm of memory.
“After his defection, he is none other than a political opponent,” she said.