R.G. Kar Case: Bengal actor-playwright returns state award in protest

Chandan Sen, an acclaimed playwright, on Tuesday, 3 September announced that he was returning a state award conferred to him in 2017 by the West Bengal government to express solidarity with the protesting junior doctors and medical students over the R.G Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.

Sen was conferred the 'Dinabandhu Mitra Award', the state's highest award in the field of theatre in 2017, which he now wants to return to the state government along with the award money by cheque.

“I feel insulted how a legislator made sweeping comments yesterday about the recipients of the state awards who are protesting on the R.G. Kar issue now. Hence I have decided to return the award to the state government. I have also decided to return the award money of Rs 25,000 to the state government. I want to stay just as one of the protesters. I have already forwarded an email communique to the state government in the matter,” Sen said.

On Monday, 2 September while addressing a gathering actor-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress legislator Kanchan Mallick raised questions about the celebrities protesting on the R.G. Kar issue and asked whether they will return their state awards.

However, in the face of large-scale criticism even from people from his own fraternity, Mallick later tendered a public apology.

Recently, a theatre group, based out of Malda district of West Bengal, also returned the state government’s donation cheque for organising a theatre fair in the district.

Acclaimed singer Shreya Ghosal too has announced postponing her live concert scheduled this month and raised her voice of protest against the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor in R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

In her statement, she clearly said the decision was taken by her as well as the organisers of the concert with "aching heart and deep sorrow” in solidarity with the protesters raising their voices on the R.G. Kar incident.

Apart from that several community Durga Puja organisers in the state have announced their decisions not to accept the state government’s annual donation to the committees for the forthcoming Durga Puja festival.