Her daughter was raped and killed. Now she’s seeking office, and justice.
By Anupreeta Das and Hari Kumar
The heinous rape and murder, in August 2024, of a young doctor who was resting in a hospital seminar room between shifts unleashed a storm of rage, leading to a criminal inquiry that expanded into broader investigations into potential systemic corruption.
More than a year-and-a-half later, the doctor’s mother, Ratna Debnath, has stepped into the political realm as a candidate for West Bengal’s state legislature, aiming to seek justice for her daughter and greater safety for women.
“I’ve lost my daughter and my house has become empty, but I want to ensure the safety of thousands of women,” Debnath, 54, said. “That’s why I’ve joined politics.”
Debnath’s personal story became a key element in the campaign of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindu nationalist political party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to unseat the current government of West Bengal, which is led by Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress party.
By choosing to join the BJP, which sought her candidacy for months, Debnath has thrust herself not just into the heat of the state’s election. She has also become a figure in Modi’s broader campaign to position his party nationwide as a champion of women.
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