Kolkata Rape-murder Case: Aparna Sen, Swastika Mukherjee And Others Write To State Panel, Demand Safe Workplace

In the wake of the rape-murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital, over a hundred female artists from the Bengali film industry wrote to the Tele Academy asking for a safer workplace. The letter was also sent to the Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) and the West Bengal Motion Picture Artistes Forum. Signatories included director Aparna Sen and actors like Rupa Ganguly, Swastika Mukherjee and Paoli Dam.

“People of West Bengal, along with the entire nation, have been shocked to their core by the recent torture and murder of a woman doctor at her workplace – RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata. In the wake of this heinous crime, it is heartening to see that the entertainment industry – theatre artists and technicians, musicians, makeup artists, dancers and choreographers, screenwriters and technicians are taking to the streets in fervent protests,” said the letter.

“However, it is indeed striking that some of us are yet to take a stand against the recurring incidents of sexual abuse/ harassment/violence within our own workplaces. As women working in the Bengali film, web platform and television industry, we face various kinds of sexual abuse every day; as well as regularly hear of the rampant abuse faced by women, children and those of marginal identities,” it added.

The Women’s Forum for Screen Workers’ letter called out the absence of effective measures against sexual harassment and criticized the lack of open discussion about abuse in the industry. It also pointed to missing information and support on workplace safety and workers’ rights. “In light of the above, we are writing this letter to inquire about – whether any statutory structure has been established for workers in the television, web platform and film industry in accordance with the sexual harassment prevention acts and creation of safe spaces of work, constitution of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) by all employers with seven or more workers informing all workers about the LCC at the district levels,” it read.