After the horror of the Kolkata rape case, Bengali star Rituparna Sengupta found herself in a minor controversy. When the actress stepped out to join the protests in the city, people there misbehaved with her and forced her to leave. In an exclusive conversation with India Today Digital, Sengupta shared that the people who pushed back were outsiders and not part of the protest. She said that although the incident was upsetting, it did not stop her from standing up for what she believed in.

Talking about the tragic incident that brought Kolkata into limelight, the actor shared that it was quite a ‘stressful’ time. Rituparna said that everyone needs to keep talking about this so that this does not happen again. “Although it has tarnished the city’s image, the movement is going from strength to strength. It was a stressful thing to bear and a major blow. If women are not safe at their workplace, where are they safe? I have The Hai Prakatan actor said, “We have full sympathy towards the parents of the woman who faced this horror. We will never accept this and as Kolkata residents we demand justice from the law makers.”

While celebrities in the city were criticized for not being vocal about the incident, Sengupta had to face angry protesters on the road. Talking about the incident, the actor said, “It didn’t affect me because I knew that those people were not part of the movement. They were goons, harassers and bullies. They were trying to discourage the protesters and Went there to capture the movement.” They wanted to raise slogans against celebrities to get their two minutes of fame, they were drunk and didn’t know what they were doing, but you can’t achieve big things by doing such small, cheap acts.’

“Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also called me the next day to inquire about my well-being. However, I assured her that it was someone from another gang who was trying to weaken the movement. They were coming from somewhere just to create ruckus. We have to ignore them and focus on bigger issues,” Sengupta said.

The Rajkahini actor said he was also criticized when he recently performed at a carnival for Kolkata Police. “The police team had reached out to me to attend the event. However, people called me all kinds of names and linked me to political parties. But I am a non-political person, and I stand for everything for my city. Standing together, Rituparna Sengupta concluded, “I have also attended the funeral of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. It is strange that people try to pull you down. ‘

On August 9, an on-duty doctor was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata. This incident was criticized across the country and people started demanding a safe society for women. Doctors across the country also went on strike demanding a thorough investigation into the incident and adequate security in hospitals. Amidst the games, omissions and delays in findings, the doctor and a section of the society continue to fight for justice.