West Bengal Junior Doctors Resume Indefinite Strike, Demanding Enhanced Safety at Medical Facilities
Kolkata, 1st October 2024: Junior doctors in West Bengal have resumed their indefinite strike, demanding improved safety and security at medical facilities. The strike, which began on October 1, follows a partial return to work on September 21 after a 42-day protest. The initial protests were sparked by the tragic rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
“We have not seen any constructive response from the state government regarding our safety and security demands. Today marks the 52nd day of our protest, and attacks on us continue without any efforts to honour the commitments made during discussions with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Given the circumstances, we feel we have no choice but to initiate a full work stoppage starting today,” stated Aniket Mahato, one of the protesting doctors.
He emphasized, “Unless we witness concrete action from the state government to address our demands, this complete work stoppage will persist.” The doctors are urging the government to take decisive steps to address their concerns.
In addition, senior doctors have organized a rally in Kolkata on Tuesday, set to begin at 5 pm, with approximately 60 civil society organizations expected to participate. Manas Gupta, a surgery professor with the Joint Platform of Doctors, commented, “This movement will continue in some form until justice is achieved. The rally on Tuesday will end in front of the Academy of Fine Arts, featuring cultural programs, including a street play addressing this heinous crime.”
Another rally, organized by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), is scheduled for Wednesday at 1 pm, likely to attract various organizations, including senior doctors and civil society groups.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court permitted a rally in the city organized by the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) on October 1 to protest the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Hospital. Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed that the peaceful rally be conducted between 5 pm and 8 pm, starting from College Square in north Kolkata to Rabindra Sadan in the south.
The JPD, an umbrella organization of the Association of Health Service Doctors in West Bengal, had requested permission from the Kolkata police commissioner to hold the protest rally, expecting around 50,000 participants.
