Kolkata doctor rape & murder: Junior doctors intensify protests, defy Supreme Court deadline
- In Reports
- 10:46 PM, Sep 10, 2024
- Myind Staff
A week after staging a powerful demonstration outside the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar, hundreds of dedicated junior doctors took to the streets again on Tuesday, this time marching towards Swasthya Bhawan. Their aim was to seek justice for the rape-murder victim at RG Kar Hospital and to call for the resignation of the Kolkata Commissioner of Police and several health officials involved in the case. Demonstrating their commitment to reform, the medics carried brooms and a model brain during their march to the West Bengal health department headquarters in Sector 5 of Salt Lake. This creative and symbolic gesture underscored their determination to “clean up” the state health sector and prompt the top brass to address the serious issues faced by doctors.
A substantial police presence and barricades have been set up at the entrance of Swasthya Bhawan to manage the ongoing protest. The dedicated medics have issued a clear deadline of 5 pm for the state government to address their five key demands, which include the resignation of the Kolkata Police Commissioner, the state Health Secretary, the Director of Health Education (DHE), and the Director of Health Services (DHS). Should their demands not be met, the protesters have announced their intention to stage a sit-in at Swasthya Bhawan, emphasizing their resolve to bring attention to the urgent reforms needed in the health sector.
The deadline set by the protesting medics aligns with the Supreme Court’s directive, which also mandates that they resume their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday to avoid potential adverse action from the state government.
“We are holding a peaceful march. We have specified our demands for justice for the victim and resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner, the state Health Secretary, Director of Health Education (DHE), and Director of Health Services (DHS). If the state government meets our demands, we will think about joining duty,” one of the protesting doctors said.
“We want the state government to ‘clean’ the health sector. We are carrying the brooms to initiate the cleaning programme. We will wait till 5 pm for the state to fulfill our demands, failing which we will start a sit-in. We are, however, open to any kind of discussion with the state government,” he added.
Since the evening of August 9, following the discovery of a female medic’s body inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, junior doctors have initiated a cease-work action at all state government hospitals across West Bengal, severely impacting healthcare services. The state government has reported that 23 patients have lost their lives and many others have been unable to receive treatment due to the ongoing strike by the junior doctors.
The Supreme Court issued its directive regarding the doctors’ strike after the West Bengal government assured that no punitive measures, including transfers, would be imposed on the protesting doctors if they returned to work. Additionally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered to engage in direct talks with the agitating doctors on Monday to address their grievances.
Junior doctors in West Bengal have announced their decision to continue their 'cease work' protest, demanding justice for the RG Kar Hospital medic who was raped and murdered. This stance comes in defiance of a Supreme Court order directing them to resume duties by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Court has requested you to join duty, and I repeat that request. If you have anything to say, you are always welcome. You can form a team of 5 to 10 members and meet me,” Banerjee had said.
“We will continue with the cease work as our demands are not fulfilled. We had asked the state government to remove the Kolkata Police Commissioner, health secretary, director of health services and the director of medical education by 5 PM. We are open to discussion,” one of the agitating doctors told PTI.
The junior doctors initiated their ‘cease work’ protest on August 9, shortly after the body of a female post-graduate trainee was discovered in the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Image source: PTI
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