Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: Doctors Defy SC Deadline, Continue Protest & List Demands

By OB Bureau On Sep 10, 2024

New Delhi: A section of doctors defied the Supreme Court’s deadline to rejoin their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday, and led a protest march to the West Bengal Health Department on Tuesday and also listed some of their demands before the West Bengal government in connection with the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

A video showed the doctors carrying a replica of the human brain to the Health Department. They also carried placards that read ‘Brains For Justice Not Against It’, News18 reported.

Their demands include separate restrooms and bathrooms for on-duty doctors, adequate security personnel, CCTV, and female security personnel for women, doctors’ restrooms, and proper security measures outside wards and Operation Theatre (OT) rooms.

“However, we want to remind that merely increasing police presence and separating doctors’ rooms will not ensure safety. Ensuring proper patient services in government hospitals is essential to guarantee the safety of doctors and healthcare workers,” a letter shared by the junior doctors read.

“We demand proper government health infrastructure in each district, not mere token appointments of civic doctors and nurses,” the doctors wrote in the letter.

“We want to clearly state to the government that if the state government does not address our demands by 5 pm tomorrow, only then can we consider their request regarding the strike. Otherwise, we will understand that the government does not wish to end the deadlock. In that case, we will hold the government responsible for the situation arising across the state,” the letter, dated September 9, read.

Notably, on Monday, the Supreme Court had asked the police and the state administration to ensure the doctors’ safety and had cautioned the doctors could be liable for disciplinary action if continuous abstention from work continued.

During the suo motu hearing in the RG Kar rape case, the top court also noted that the abstention of doctors for the last 28 days had hit the healthcare system of West Bengal and that 23 patients died during this period due to the disruptions.

“We know what is happening on the ground, but doctors must now come back to work, they cannot say senior doctors are working so we will not work, we have put everyone on notice,” the top court said. “Protests can’t be at the cost of their duties,” the bench stated.

The court also asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a fresh report by September 17 on the probe in the case.