PEOPLE have named her Tilottama, the other beloved name for Kolkata, the city that took her life on August 9. Tilottama was raped and killed at her workplace—a government hospital. Bengalis speak of Kallolini Tilottama (the delightful paragon of beauty) in adulation. Tilottama is Kolkata. On August 9, Kolkata stood violated.
The weight of the rape and murder of a city, naturally, sent shockwaves much beyond the state’s borders, triggering a national and even global outcry seeking justice for Tilottama and safety for women at the workplace and on the streets.
At home in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) has rarely looked so puzzled since coming to power in 2011. Banerjee herself has not appeared so tense. In every challenge her party and the government faced since 2019, she emerged triumphant through her counter-attacks, playing ‘the Virender Sehwag way’, borrowing from cricketing parlance. Aggression comes to her naturally and adds to her brand value.
However, the present crisis that her government and party face has little scope for an aggressive approach. The pressure comes more from civil society than her political opponents. Earlier, she never had to confront civil society.
“It’s strange. Electorally, there has not been any sign of any great danger lurking for our party. But the kind of public response we are seeing can only come from a lot of pent-up grievances,” says a minister in Banerjee’s government, requesting anonymity.
Bu hikaye Outlook dergisinin September 11, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Outlook dergisinin September 11, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Wah, Taj
Armed with the steely spirit of Tajness’, the staff members at Taj Hotel in Mumbai put themselves in the line of fire to save the lives of the guests on 26/11
Exciting Breakthroughs in Breast Cancer Treatment
In this interview, Dr. Kanchan Kaur discusses advancements in Indian healthcare, the rise of women in medicine, and critical insights on breast cancer treatment and awareness
Ratan, Ta-ta
Many in the Indian industry think they have lost a moral compass in the passing of Tata
Plutarch's Mine of Poetry
Poet, writer and former IPS officer Keki N. Daruwalla has left behind a towering literary legacy
The Memory Keeper
Much of Han Kang's fiction traces the impact of the violence inflicted on ordinary lives by authoritarians and the burden of historical traumas
A Ploy for Self-Coronation
The ONOE proposal to synchronise elections puts the dynamic democratic process at risk
Time to Abrogate Bitterness
The National Conference's win in the recent assembly elections is a mandate for transformation, not celebration
'We Lose Our House Every Day'
With nearly one in every 100 people in India living under the threat of eviction, the weight of anxiety, fear and confusion has become an inescapable reality
THE PROMISE OF INDIAN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES
The question of whether ‘politics informs economics’ or vice-versa has been looming large for decades now, but has hardly been as prominent and critical as today.
SHAPING TOMORROW'S LEADERS
The Power, Challenges, and Future of Business Schools in India and Beyond
