Junior doctors in West Bengal have threatened to go on a state-wide strike on October 21 if their demands are not addressed. The Junior Doctors’ strike started after the rape and murder of a colleague at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, and the lack of action from the state government.
The protesting doctors, who have been protesting for nearly two months, have set a deadline for the state government to meet their demands by October 21.
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.
Initially, six junior doctors 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.
RG Kar 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 were initially arrested 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.
