This development follows the mass resignation of around 50 senior doctors from RG Kar Hospital on Tuesday. Despite these resignations, doctors stated that healthcare services at various hospitals and medical colleges were not affected.
Source: Hindustan Times
Doctors’ Protests Intensify in Bengal as More Senior Doctors Resign in Support of Junior Doctors
The doctors’ protest in West Bengal escalated on Wednesday as more senior doctors from various government-run medical institutions tendered their mass resignations in support of the junior doctors’ movement. The junior doctors have been demanding justice for their 31-year-old colleague who was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
A late-night meeting between the state government and the junior doctors failed to resolve the ongoing issues. State Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited a delegation of junior doctors for a discussion with the state task force at Swasthya Bhavan, but the talks did not lead to any resolution. The government requested the doctors to withdraw their hunger strike, which has been ongoing for nearly 100 hours, but did not provide any clear directives or timelines to address their demands.
“We only received verbal assurances but no concrete solutions. The government refused to provide a timeline or directive for fulfilling our demands. We are completely frustrated,” said Debasish Halder, one of the junior doctors, after the meeting.
This comes a day after around 50 senior doctors from RG Kar Hospital resigned together. Despite these resignations, healthcare services at hospitals and medical colleges were not significantly disrupted, according to the doctors. They stated that the mass resignation was meant to show solidarity with the junior doctors and send a strong message to the state government.
By Wednesday night, a total of 106 doctors and faculty members from RG Kar Hospital had resigned. During the day, more resignations were reported from various medical colleges, including 19 doctors from Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital, 42 from North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri, 35 from Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, and around 70 doctors from Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata.
In their mass resignation letter, senior doctors from Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, said: “We are resigning en masse in protest against the insensitive attitude towards our justified democratic movement and the deteriorating health conditions of the doctors on an indefinite hunger strike. Individual resignations will follow if the situation demands.”
Meanwhile, the junior doctors on hunger strike since Saturday night continued to protest. They organized rallies at various Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata, demanding a speedy investigation into the case. The protesters distributed leaflets and spoke to citizens about their movement and demands.
“We plan to visit 12 puja pandals in south and north Kolkata to raise awareness about our movement and share our demands with the public. Our demands include not only justice for our colleague but also better security and infrastructure at government hospitals, which will ultimately benefit everyone,” said a junior doctor, who wished to remain anonymous.
The protestors have put forward 10 key demands, including justice for the victim, removal of the state health secretary, deployment of police in hospitals, and inquiry committees to investigate allegations of corruption and threats within the state medical council.
Some doctors’ associations have also organized a march to the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, where the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is located, to increase pressure on the agency, which is investigating the rape and murder case.
On Monday, the CBI filed a charge sheet against the prime accused, Sanjay Roy, accusing him of rape and murder. However, the agency stated that no evidence of gang rape was found. This has caused further frustration among the doctors.
“CBI’s charge sheet is disappointing. After 58 days of investigation, they only found Sanjay Roy, an arrested civic volunteer, as the sole accused. This is a failure of the CBI,” said Dr. Biplab Chandra.
The junior doctors have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are met. “We feel unsafe at work, and doctors have faced attacks even after the RG Kar incident. CBI has assured us that the investigation is still ongoing,” said Bhaswati Mukherjee, Secretary of Nurses Unity.
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