Kolkata: Junior doctors won't return to work unless demands met

Kolkata: A month after their colleague was raped and killed at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, doctors working in state-run medical colleges declared they would continue their strike after the Supreme Court directed protesting junior doctors to report for duty by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

A few RG Kar Hospital doctors who were protesting told TNIE that even with CRPF officers on the property, they don't feel safe.

“After the rape-murder incident, a sense of fear haunts us. As many culprits are still roaming free trauma still, we apprehend that they might attack us any time,” a doctor said, who wished to remain anonymous. Another doctor said, “We are not secure. Unless we get our security, we cannot join work. Our protest for justice to RG Kar victim will continue.”

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called a news conference shortly after the Supreme Court's judgement, encouraging junior doctors to report for duty. The state government's lawyer presented a report to the Supreme Court that stated 23 patients had passed away in state-run hospitals in the previous month after demonstrations begun by junior doctors.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said, “We are committed to providing security cover to meet the students’ demands. Already Rs 100 crore has been allocated to various state-run medical colleges to upgrade security infrastructure, including resting rooms and renovation of toilets. We urge junior students to join duty.”

However, the junior doctors said that the state administration is pressuring them to report for duty because it wants to put an end to their demonstrations. The doctors refused to back down in their protest until their demands were met. “Unless we see major changes, we will continue our protest,” one said.