On Saturday, 5th October, junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague at the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata began a fast unto death. The protesting doctors have accused the West Bengal Government of failing to fulfill their demands. Notably, they started a sit-in protest at Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala on Friday, 4th October, and gave the state government a deadline of 24 hours to meet their promises.
Speaking to the media, a junior doctor said, “We are starting the fast unto death until our demands are fulfilled. To maintain transparency, we have installed CCTV cameras at the dais where our colleagues will be holding the fast. We will join duty as promised but will not eat anything.”
Initially, six junior doctors have started fast unto death. The sit-in protest was initiated after calling off the ‘total cease work’. The six doctors who sat on the fast unto death have been identified as Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja, and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM, Pulastha Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital, and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC Medical College.
The junior doctor said that if anything happens to the doctors sitting on the fast, the state government will be held responsible. He added, “We have the support of the people, and that is why we are not afraid of any hindrances from the administration. We will continue our hunger strike until our demands are met.”
Earlier, the junior doctors said that the police were not allowing them to set up the dais for the protest. The permission for the sit-in protest was denied by the Kolkata Police, stating that it would hinder traffic on an already congested road.
Furthermore, there were allegations by the junior doctors on Friday night that police personnel baton-charged them. Kolkata Police sent an email to the protesting doctors asking them to identify the police personnel involved and lodge a complaint. The police promised necessary action in the matter.
The email read, “With reference to the allegation of physical assault, the matter is being investigated. However, you are requested to direct the doctor/person who has allegedly been assaulted to lodge a formal complaint at the concerned police station. Necessary action will be taken in accordance with the law.”
The doctors’ demands include justice for their deceased colleague in RG Kar case, the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, accountability for administrative incompetence and corruption within the Health Department, the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and the formation of a task force to ensure essential provisions such as CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms, among others.
RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case
On 9th August, the semi-naked, injured body of a 31-year-old woman doctor was found in the seminar hall of Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Her autopsy report confirmed rape before the murder. A total of three persons have been arrested so far in this case including Sanjay Roy, the prime accused. After the Courts came down heavily on the State government and Kolkata Police for mishandling the case, the Calcutta High Court transferred the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI.
