Sex workers refuse to give soil for Durga idol making in Kolkata; know why

Sex workers from Kolkata's Sonagachi area, India's largest red-light district, have refused to provide soil from their courtyards for Durga idol making

This refusal is a protest against the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata.

Traditionally, soil from brothels is considered sacred and is mixed with clay to create Durga idols, as it symbolizes shedding one's virtues upon entering the sex workers' houses

The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, an association of sex workers, has been advocating for legal recognition of their profession

The decision to withhold the soil is seen as a stand against the injustice faced by rape victims, who often do not receive justice

In recent days, sex workers from various red-light areas in the state have organized rallies protesting against the heinous crime

Their common slogan during these protests is, "If necessary, come to us, but do not rape a woman"

Some community Durga Puja committees in Kolkata have already rejected the annual donations from the state government, which have been increased to Rs 85,000 this year

The female doctor's body was discovered under suspicious circumstances in the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9

The protest highlights the ongoing struggle for justice and recognition faced by both sex workers and victims of sexual violence