Less than two months after the death of a trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, junior doctors have unveiled a statue of the 31-year-old victim. However, the statue drew flak on social media as many found it 'disturbing'.
Titled 'Cry of the Hour', it was sculpted by artist Asit Sain. He said it depicts the pain and trauma experienced by the victim. Made of fibreglass, the statue shows a woman screaming. It was installed near the PGB Gardens, close to the principal's office.
However, the statue raised concerns over "immortalising" the victim at her most vulnerable.
Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said the installation of the sculpture in the victim's name is against the spirit of the Supreme Court order. "No responsible person can do that. Not even in the name of art," he added.
Ghosh said, "There will be protests, demands for justice. But the statue is not right with the face of the girl in pain."
"This could be the worst thing ever," said one user, while another posted, "this is disrespectful and disgusting, demolish it".
A third user wrote, "No one wants see a sculpture of someone in pain." Yet another said, "Over-empathising to a point where it looks like mockery." One user said, "Speechless at how insensitive this is. To have one’s pain immortalised, to only be known for being sexually violated. I hope this disgusting statue is destroyed."
“The doctors of this country are so tone deaf," one of the users said, "Why would you ever create a statue like this based on a rape victim.”