Kolkata rape case: Bengal junior doctors resume total ‘cease work’ demanding safety, security
Junior doctors in West Bengal on Tuesday resumed total ‘cease work’ to press the Mamata Banerjee government on various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments, news agency PTI reported.
The decision was taken after a eight-hour long meeting of the junior doctors. They have placed a set of 10 demands related to strengthening hospital security, improving health infrastructure and putting an end to threat culture and politics in hospitals.
“We are compelled to return to a full ceasework starting from today. Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said in a statement.
The junior doctors had on September 21 rejoined their duties partially at government hospitals after a 42-day protest. They were on a cease work agitation to protest against the rape-murder of an on-duty woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.
“We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfil our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day (of the protest) and we are still being attacked and there is no attempt to keep the other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the given situation, we are left with no option other than opting for full cease work, starting today,” Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI.
“Unless we see clear action from the state government on these demands, this complete cease work will continue,” he added.
The announcement comes a day after the Calcutta high court on Monday allowed a rally to be held in the metropolis by the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) on Tuesday to protest the rape-murder of the trainee medic.
Disposing of a petition by the JPD, Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed that a peaceful rally be held between 5pm and 8pm from College Square in north Kolkata to Rabindra Sadan in the south, via Central Avenue and Esplanade.
Although the Kolkata Police had requested a reduction in both the number of participants and the length of the rally route, the court did not impose any such restrictions. Instead, it instructed the authorities, under the supervision of the Joint Commissioner of Police (headquarters) of Kolkata Police, to ensure adequate security measures with sufficient personnel to allow the rally to proceed peacefully.
Justice Bharadwaj also directed the rally organisers to provide enough volunteers to manage their supporters and ensure that the event remains peaceful.
The medics’ platform, representing the Association of Health Service Doctors, West Bengal, had approached the Kolkata Police commissioner, seeking permission for a protest rally from College Square to Rabindra Sadan between 5pm and 8pm, expecting around 50,000 participants.
However, the joint commissioner of police (headquarters) informed the organisers that the rally could proceed with only 1,000 participants and sufficient volunteers, but the route would be from College Square to Rani Rashmoni Avenue at Esplanade.
In response, the JPD challenged these restrictions in the high court, arguing that since the public was voluntarily joining the protest, limiting the number of participants was not enforceable.
The body of the postgraduate trainee, found with severe injuries, was discovered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.