The politics of space: reclaim the night protest in West Bengal, India

What is it about?

This viewpoint article analyses mass nonviolent and spontaneous Reclaim the Night marches in West Bengal, India, organised three times in 2024, primarily by women after the heinous rape and murder of a trainee lady doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata. These marches aimed to empower women and combat violence against them by reclaiming women’s space in society, highlighting the question of asymmetrical access to public spaces, and challenging traditional power dynamics. The massive response to the marches demonstrates annoyance among the protesters, who called for structural changes to address the root causes of women’s exploitation. Beyond organised party politics, these events were “political” not merely because they involved power or conflicting interests but because they offered a platform for identifying injustices and asserting equality.

Featured Image

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Beyond organised party politics, these events were “political” not merely because they involved power or conflicting interests but because they offered a platform for identifying injustices and asserting equality.

Perspectives