Despite receiving a notice from Kolkata Police for questioning following his social media post demanding the custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal and the former Principal of state-run R.G Kar Medical College & Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, in connection with the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor, veteran Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has called for more forceful protests on the issue.
After Roy’s social media post went viral on Sunday morning, he was summoned by Kolkata Police to appear at the city police headquarters that evening. When he chose to ignore the summons, the police issued a second notice for his appearance. In response, Roy made two significant social media posts, indicating his intent to persist with his rebellion, despite disapproval from his own party leadership.
In his first post, Roy shared a song by Rabindranath Tagore with the opening lines: “Ami bhoy korbo na bhoy korbo na, du bela morar age morbo na bhai morbno na” (I will not be scared and I will not die before death).
Hours later, he made a second post calling for protests against the police’s treatment of supporters of two rival soccer clubs in Kolkata, East Bengal FC and Mohun Bagan, who had gathered in front of the city’s biggest football stadium to unite in protest against the rape and murder of the doctor on Sunday afternoon.
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“I appeal to all football and sports lovers to protest unitedly against the arbitrary arrests of supporters of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in a peaceful and democratic manner. Jai Mohun Bagan! Jai East Bengal!” Roy said in his post.
In a further act of defiance, Roy expressed solidarity with the ‘Midnight Protest March by Women in Kolkata’ on August 14, citing his role as a father and grandfather. “I have a daughter and a little granddaughter like many Bengali families, and I have decided to join the protest,” he stated.
