Nagorik Chetona, a civil society collective in Kolkata, sent an open letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and other concerned state-government authorities, demanding long-term policy and structural changes for safety and security of women.
The letter highlights key demands, including ensuring women’s safety in workplaces, implementing safe public transportation, reforming police administration, and conducting awareness campaigns in schools across the state.
“All of us were angered and concerned by the incident of RG Kar. Since then we started thinking what could be done to ensure a long-term arrangement for the safety and security of women in our state,” said Aparna Sen, a co-founder of Nagorik Chetona, during a press interaction on Thursday.
The 79-year-old National Film Award winner highlighted that the RG Kar incident ignited a democratic spirit in West Bengal, prompting mass protests. She stressed the importance of citizens remaining vigilant, engaging in constructive dialogue to address government shortcomings, and supporting positive initiatives.
Nagorik Chetona members believed that the government would come forward in supporting them and jointly the structural and policy changes could be achieved for women’s safety and security in West Bengal.
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“We would like to draw the attention of the CM to some action points which we believe are critical in ensuring that Bengal emerges as a pathfinder in safeguarding women's rights,” said Rimjhim Sinha, another co-founder of Nagorik Chetona and lead organiser of the August 14 ‘Reclaim the Night’ campaign last year.
“Safety of Women at Workplaces is non-negotiable and full Implementation of the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 must take place immediately.”
Their demands for reforms in police administrations include establishing a ‘Women’s Protection Task Force’ for swift handling of gender-based violence cases, deploying trained female officers for FIRs on sexual crimes, ensuring frequent police patrolling after dark and improving police working conditions with secure facilities for women officers.
The state must also prioritise gender sensitisation in police training, particularly for officers managing crimes against women, to ensure informed and empathetic responses, Nagorik Chetona demands.
The collective also wants state-funded programs to educate women about their rights and redressal mechanisms, as well as collaborations between schools and civil society groups to promote respect and equality through workshops, alongside women-only buses with panic buttons for safe travel.
