For the past two weeks, Delhi’s streets have echoed with a familiar chant: “Nyay do, nyay do” (give us justice). Whether scorching sun or pouring rain, people have taken to the streets in response to the brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. The incident has rekindled the same outrage felt during the 2012 Nirbhaya protests, reminding the public that despite the passage of time, little has changed. The names and slogans on placards may differ, but the core message distressingly remains the same. Demonstrators in Delhi said that despite numerous promises and policies, gender-based violence persists.
The “Reclaim the Night” protests emerged in response to growing concerns over women’s safety. Inspired by the global “Take Back the Night” movement, these rallies have gained significant traction. Marked by night-time marches, these gatherings assert women’s right to occupy public spaces and demand safety after dark. In Delhi, candlelight protests at various locations demanded that the night belongs to everyone and that violence against women is intolerable.
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One significant site of these protests was the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, where hundreds gathered with lit candles on the eve of Independence Day to condemn the violence against the resident doctor in Kolkata. A female resident doctor at AIIMS explained to Frontline the challenges faced by women in her profession: “Government colleges and hospitals have it worse. Security guards aren’t cooperative and are often mute observers while patients misbehave with us. In some cases, only one doctor is allowed in the room with patients, and if those patients behave inappropriately, the guards refuse to help, citing that they ‘only oversee the corridors’ and not the rooms.” She highlighted the urgent need for gender-sensitive policies, robust protections against harassment, and an environment where women’s safety is prioritised.
Hundreds gathered with lit candles on the eve of Independence Day at AIIMS, Delhi, to condemn the violence against the resident doctor in Kolkata. | Photo Credit: Vedaant Lakhera & Vitasta Kaul
The medical community in Delhi has called for systemic changes to protect healthcare workers. On August 16, students and doctors from prestigious institutions, including Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, and Maulana Azad Medical College, staged a sit-in outside the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), demanding that Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda address their grievances. Although some representatives met with MoHFW officials, the meeting concluded without resolutions, according to the protestors.
Inspired by the global “Take Back the Night” movement, the “Reclaim the Night” protests emerged in response to growing concerns over women’s safety. | Photo Credit: Vedaant Lakhera & Vitasta Kaul
Ansar Ahmed, a surgeon at AIIMS Delhi, voiced his concerns: “We demand justice for the victim of the gruesome rape and murder, and a fair, swift investigation of the case. We demand safety for doctors and healthcare workers, and for that, the Central Protection Act (CPA) must be passed. We need this protection because doctors often face the brunt of disappointed patients’ anger, which can take unpredictable and dangerous forms. Patients also blame us for the terrible infrastructure, low staff, and lack of proper medicines and equipment. The issue is that government hospitals are not getting funding. In the budget allocation, the government has not given enough funds for health infrastructure. The CPA is necessary.”
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The spillover effect from Kolkata was palpable in Delhi, as the weeklong sit-in outside Nirman Bhawan garnered widespread support, with many expressing their frustration at the lack of action from authorities. “It is very disheartening, not just for the doctor community but for every woman in our country that such an incident has happened. This isn’t just about one incident,” said Ishita Khurana, a medical student at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College. “Our demands are very basic: we are just asking for safety. It is high time now.”
In defiance of a police ban, doctors staged a protest march from Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) to Jantar Mantar on August 17. | Photo Credit: Vedaant Lakhera & Vitasta Kaul
In defiance of a police ban, doctors staged a protest march from Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) to Jantar Mantar on August 17. This protest coincided with the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) nationwide call to withdraw medical services. “Rape and violence shouldn’t happen to anyone, but if they are happening inside a hospital to a doctor then this is a matter of grave concern,” said a doctor participating in the march to Jantar Mantar. “We need the CPA to make any form of violence against a doctor during duty hours a non-bailable offence. There are only one to two police officers in a hospital that handle medico-legal cases, we demand that the number of officers should be increased to at least three on the ground that overlook these cases.”
Victim-blaming
Jyoti, a student at Delhi University, pointed out that instead of seeking justice, questions such as “What was she doing outside at such late hours” are raised, highlighting the deeply ingrained culture of victim-blaming.
The calls for justice extended beyond the medical community with organisations such as Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan joining in. | Photo Credit: Vedaant Lakhera & Vitasta Kaul
The calls for justice extended beyond the medical community. On August 20, over 35 women’s rights organisations, including the All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch, the All India Democratic Women’s Association, and the Sangrami Gharelu-Kamgar Union, converged at Jantar Mantar. They protested the ongoing tide of gender-based violence, especially across states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, and criticised the States’ failure to curb these crimes.
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