Amid RG Kar issue, Durga puja organisers tweak theme to give message on women's safety

A section of crowd-puller Durga puja organisers in Kolkata are making a few changes to their original theme, planned months ago, to incorporate the issue of women’s safety amid protests over the RG Kar hospital incident.

While one organiser has planned to show three-dimensional images of public protests, another would spread the message of protecting oneself through life-saving techniques.

A third puja will have a huge banner near the marquee demanding justice for the doctor who was allegedly raped and killed in the state-run hospital on August 9, sparking large-scale protests by medics, celebrities and common people.

These features were added to the original themes of the pujas.

Every year, several puja organisers in West Bengal choose themes, mainly social issues and current incidents, and use their pandals, idols and lighting arrangements to depict them.

“In a slightly changed plan, our spherical pandal will be a symbol of protest against injustices to women. In lighting arrangements, a large flame can be seen along with three-dimensional images of protests,” said Sajal Ghosh, general secretary of Santosh Mitra Square Puja in central Kolkata.

On the way out of the pandal, ‘We Want Justice’ chants will reverberate the air, merging festival and protest, he told PTI.

Shibmandir Puja Committee in south Kolkata’s Bhawanipur area will have the tagline ‘Suraksha na Atmaraksha’ (security or self-defence) along with the original theme ‘Bratya’ (ostracisation) to spread the message of protecting oneself through life saving techniques.

Youngsters will demonstrate the techniques in the way leading to the marquee where the deity will be placed, puja committee secretary Partha Ghosh said.

“We have been running this self-defence training session for both girls and boys for a long time. This year, we have decided to highlight the issue along with our original theme,” Ghosh said.

The Bhawanipur 75 Pally will put up a hoarding “Astha rakhun, dodshider kathorotomo sasti habei” (Have faith in law, the guilty will get exemplary punishment)”.

“Those visiting our pandal will see the message. Our puja committee and the people of the locality are doing this to demand justice for the R G Kar victim,” puja committee spokesperson Subir Das said.