In a move that has reverberated through political circles, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has suspended two student leaders for their involvement in creating a short film allegedly centered on the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Trinankur Bhattacharya, the president of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), released a statement late on September 27, confirming the suspension of Rajanya Halder and Prantik Chakraborty, both office-bearers within the party. According to The Indian Express, the decision was attributed to “anti-party activities.”
Halder, who portrayed a key role in the short film, and Chakraborty, who directed it, dismissed accusations that the film drew any connection to the RG Kar case.
The film, Agomoni, Tilottamader Golpo, which is set to release on October 2 in conjunction with Mahalaya, features a teaser that shows Halder dressed as a doctor, her stethoscope symbolically alluding to the RG Kar incident. The teaser triggered outrage, both within West Bengal and nationally, as it seemed to touch on a politically charged issue.
Within hours of TMC leader Kunal Ghosh posting on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the party would distance itself from any members who attempted to leverage the matter for political gain, the TMCP acted swiftly, announcing the suspension.
In their defense, both Halder and Chakraborty vehemently rejected the notion that their film was tied to the RG Kar controversy, insisting it was a work promoting women’s empowerment.
“It’s unrelated to the party or the incident at RG Kar,” Halder explained to The Indian Express. “We are artists and human beings, and this project is solely about the empowerment of women.”
Chakraborty, the director, echoed these sentiments, stating, “I respect the party’s decision, but this film has no connection to the RG Kar case. It is purely a narrative of women’s strength and resilience.”
