Bengal Junior Doctors Start Fast Unto Death Protest Alleging Govt Inaction In RG Kar Rape-Murder Case

Kolkata: Junior doctors in Bengal began their fast unto death protest against the state government, accusing inaction by the Mamata Banerjee-led government over their demands. They have been protesting against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9.

The junior doctors began their sit-in protest on Friday at Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala. They have given a 24-hour ultimatum to the Mamata Banerjee government to fulfil their demands. This comes barely a few weeks after the junior doctors ended their 42-day agitation on September 21 after having negotiations with the state government.

“The state government has failed the deadline and hence we are starting the fast unto death. We will continue till our demands are fulfilled. We have installed CCTV cameras at the dais where our colleagues are holding the fast,” a junior doctor said.

The doctors also informed that they had joined their duties, but would not eat anything as  a mark of protest. At present, six junior doctors were sitting on fast unto death stir.

“Till the time our demands of justice on humanitarian grounds is not fulfilled, we will sit here… Before her rape and murder, Abhaya went through multiple threats… Anyone could have been ‘Abhaya’. It is our responsibility that there is no more ‘Abhaya’. On one hand, we are sitting on a hunger strike, while on the other we see a minor girl was raped and murdered… Many cases similar to RG Kar have happened after 9 August, still, all doctors except the six of us sitting here, have gone back to their duties to ensure no one faces any trouble during Navratri…” Dr Sayantani of West Bengal Junior Doctors Front told ANI.

Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, SSKM’s Arnab Mukhopadhyay, Pulastha Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital, and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC Medical College are the doctors, who are on fast. The agitating doctors had also warned that the state would be held responsible if they fell sick during the fast.

Common people also joined the protest in large numbers. A few celebrities were also spotted at the protest site.