Junior doctors protesting August’s rape and murder at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital are on a fast-unto-death, setting up another potential face-off with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Six people are on a hunger strike and this will continue for an “indefinite period (till) we get justice”, they said last night.
They will be joined this week by colleagues from Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences, who said they will hold a candlelight protest at the city’s JLN Auditorium on Wednesday evening.
Speaking to NDTV Monday morning, a doctor from AIIMS acknowledged his colleagues and he have a duty to their patients and the public and so could not strike indefinitely, but said, “The country has seen junior doctors of Bengal striking for 50 days. The demands have been clear since Day 1 – justice.”
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal | On hunger strike called by Junior Doctors, Dr Aqeeb says, “…Six of our people are sitting on hunger strike right now and we will continue for an indefinite period..Our only demand is we want justice in the RG Kar incident…” (06.10) pic.twitter.com/P2Bhl0z60Y
— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2024
“But we are seeing questions over the investigation (being led by the Central Bureau of Investigation) and it is so slow…” he said, also launching a fierce criticism of Ms Banerjee.
“Mamata Banerjee is not listening… she is just diverting the topic. Transferring some officails and not changing the ground reality. So how will doctors have a sense of security at the workplace?” he asked, also hitting out at the ‘threat culture’ red-flagged by Bengal doctors.
“It is high time that this ‘threat culture’ should end… not just in Kolkata but anywhere in India. If this is prevalent in any section of scoiety it should end,” he told NDTV, stating that resident doctors from AIIMS would hold a silent march and a candelight protest for their colleagues.
Doctors’ protests against the Bengal administration – over demands that include justice for their colleague, improved workplace safety and security, and a reshuffle of state officials to root out a “threat culture” – renewed last week with a sit-in protest in the heart of Kolkata.
The doctors indicated also the rest would fufill their responsibilities to the public by attending to patients but not eat anything. The state will be held responsible for their condition, they said.
On Friday the doctors had withdrawn a second ‘ceasework’ movement, which had, again, crippled healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals.
They had started their second ‘ceasework’ strike – which involves attending only to essntial and emergency services, but not working in outpatient departments – on October 1.
This was all after the doctors said the government had failed to act on assurances given during last month’s meeting with the Chief Minister. They also said CCTV cameras would be set up to “maintain transparency”. The reference was seen as a reminder to Ms Banerjee; one of the doctors’ demands is increased camera surveillance of hospital campuses across the state.
Significantly, the doctors’ fresh protests followed another horrific crime in the state.
The body of a 10-year-old girl was found in a canal in 24 South Parganas’ Kultani on Saturday. Ms Banerjee – already under heavy political fire from the opposition BJP and from civil activists – told cops to file a case under the POCSO Act and “ensure culprits get capital puishment”.
The young girl’s family has alleged neligence by the police.
The police – who also face questions over their handling of the RG Kar rape-murder horror, including the courts asking why there was a delay in filing a case – have detained a suspect.
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