RG Kar killed faith in democratic institutions

Are the institutions robust enough to repair the fault lines as observed? The overwhelming feeling of any ordinary citizen does not look well for the largest democracy in the world.

- SUGATO HAZRA

For an ordinary citizen, the murder of the 31-year-old medical PG trainee at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and desperate acts of the state administration to confuse issues raise several questions on the effectiveness of various Constitutional authorities of the national democracy. Are the institutions robust enough to repair the fault lines as observed? The overwhelming feeling of any ordinary citizen does not look well for the largest democracy in the world.

Take the incident first.

The PG trainee doctor was on duty in the hospital. She lost her life during the night of 8-9 August. The hospital authorities were deceptive in reporting the gruesome incident to the parents. They told them she committed suicide, did not let the parents see the lifeless body, and finally completed last rites taking advantage of the inability to react by stunned parents.

Faith in the hospital and its staff is the biggest casualty.