Nagorik Chetona Demands Policy & Structural Changes For Safety Of Women Through A Slew Of Demands & Suggestions To West Bengal Chief Minister

Kolkata, January, 2025: Nagorik Chetona, is a civil society collective representing concerned citizens from diverse backgrounds — artists, filmmakers, musicians, social workers, activists, lawyers, doctors, and other professionals who are united by deep concern for the safety and dignity of all women and trans-queer persons in Bengal, held a press conference today at Kolkata Press Club, to release an Open Letter to the Hon. Chief Minister of West Bengal sent via the official email id of the Chief Minister’s Office, copy of which was also marked/sent to  (1) Sri Manoj Pande, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata (2) Dr. Shashi Panja, Hon. Minister, Department of Health (3) Sri Snehashis Chakraborty, Hon. Minister, Department of Transport and (4) Sri Bratya Basu, Hon. Minister, Department of Education.

Addressing the media, Aparna Sen, celebrated filmmaker and one of the founders of Nagorik Chetona said: “the horrific incident at RG Kar Medical College has sent shockwaves through the state, bringing to light the urgent need for systemic changes in the way the safety of women is addressed in West Bengal. Repeated occurrences at Newtown, Bankura, Jaynagar, Potashpur, Alipurduar, and many other places stand as shocking examples of the unacceptable circumstances that women are being subjected to in this society. While Kolkata has been recognized by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) as the safest city for women, with 86.5 cases per lakh population, the state of West Bengal has ranked alarmingly high in crimes such as domestic violence, acid attacks and dowry deaths. This stark contrast reflects the gap between perception and the lived reality of many women in our state. However, we believe that with long term vision, strategy and micro monitoring, it is possible to remedy the situation. Besides writing to the Hon. Chief Minister, we have also written to other authorities who have a role to play in safety of women, and we will pursue this till it reaches its logical conclusion.”  

Dr. Ratna Pal, Convenor of Nagorik Chetona said: “The violence inflicted upon women in our institutions and public spaces is not just a regional issue – it is a national concern. It demands immediate and resolute action from the state, and Bengal can and must set an example for the rest of the country.”

Rimjim Sinha, founder of Nagorik Chetona said: “A period of five months has passed since the heinous incident at RG Kar but the demands that have been made via this letter still stand relevant as the condition of women in West Bengal is still precarious. 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. 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. The Act mandates the establishment of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in workplaces and Local Complaints Committees (LCCs) at district levels to address sexual harassment cases. However, their implementation has been inconsistent and partial, leaving women vulnerable and without redressal.”

Chhandak Chatterjee, founder of Nagorik Chetona said: “Comprehensive Police Reforms and Awareness Campaigns must be undertaken. The reluctance of police officers to register complaints from women remains a significant barrier to justice. Police reforms are essential to ensure gender-sensitive policing across the state. Our basic demands are Safety of Women at Workplaces through full Implementation of the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, Comprehensive Police Reforms and Awareness Campaigns, Creating Legal Awareness and Gender Sensitization in Schools and Safe Public Transport for Women. The safety of women in public spaces, particularly during commutes, is critical to their participation in the workforce.”

Avik Saha, founder of Nagorik Chetona said: “There must be Legal Awareness and Gender Sensitization in Schools. To fight violence against women at its roots, education must play a key role.”

Demands and Suggestions of Nagorik Chetona included:

• Mandatory audits to ensure all institutions comply with the establishment of ICCs.
• LCCs should be established all across the state. It should be well-resourced, proactive, and accessible, especially in rural areas, where women’s voices often go unheard.
• Regular training and capacity-building programs for committee members to ensure sensitive handling of cases.
• State-funded awareness programs so that every woman living in West Bengal is aware of (a) her rights and (b) the mechanism of redressal.
• Gender sensitization to be prioritized within police training programs, especially for officers handling crimes against women.
• Mandatory Due Diligence process to be put in place while recruiting civic volunteers including psychological assessment for them.
• A state-wide awareness campaign to be launched, led by women police officers, to encourage women to come forward without the fear of dismissal or victim-blaming.
• A Women’s Protection Task Force be established, which ensures swift and effective handling of cases involving gender-based violence.
• A cell comprising trained female police officers be created and reserved solely for FIRs related to rape, violence, or sexual abuses/assaults on women.
• Police patrolling carried out at regular and frequent intervals on streets and roads, particularly after dark so that any untoward incident be noticed and addressed without delay.
• Reforms be undertaken to improve the working conditions of police personnel with separate and safe toilets reserved for policewomen. The police cannot be expected to function at peak efficiency if their working conditions are not adequate.
• Introduction of compulsory legal awareness and gender sensitization as part of the school curriculum throughout West Bengal.
• Schools should partner with civil society organizations to conduct regular workshops and seminars that foster a culture of respect and equality, starting from a young age.
• The introduction of women-only buses on major routes, with installed panic buttons ensuring safe and harassment-free transportation 24×7.
• Well-lit and secure bus shelters in both urban and rural areas, along with CCTV surveillance for increased safety and accountability.

Speakers on behalf of Nagorik Chetona expressed firm belief that West Bengal has the potential to set the benchmark for gender justice in India and hence we can turn this national crisis into an opportunity for real change; Bengal has historically been a leader in education, culture, and social movements and now, it is time for us to lead the nation in the fight for women’s safety and dignity. Let Bengal be the pioneer in establishing that the safety of women is non-negotiable.
The Open Letter to the Hon Chief Minister was signed by 50 leading personalities including Filmmaker Kamaleshwar Mukherjee, Filmmaker and Actor Churni Ganguly, Social Scientist Partha Chatterjee, Environmental Activist Banani Kakkar and Pradeep Kakkar, Actor and Filmmaker Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Actor and Filmmaker Konkona Sensharma, Ex- MP, former Culture Secretary of India Jawahar Sircar, Author Amit Chaudhuri, Actor and Theatre Personality Sohag Sen, Filmmaker Birsa Dasgupta, Actor Bidipta Chakraborty, Filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and Scientist Dr. Debal Deb.