People raise slogans at the protest site where junior doctors are sitting on hunger strike to protest the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Saturday (Oct 12, 2024) | Photo: PTI
As the young doctors’ hunger strike entered its ninth day, grassroots support near the protest site swelled on Sunday (October 13, 2024) as Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal culminated with the start of idol immersion.
Three doctors who started the strike eight days ago were hospitalised, the latest being Anustup Mukherjee, a junior doctor at the Medical College, Kolkata, who fell ill late on Saturday (October 13, 2024). Aniket Mahato and Alok Verma, two other doctors who were on hunger strike, were hospitalized after their health deteriorated.
The doctors sat on a fast until death on October 5. Doctors and citizens staged hunger strikes at various places in Kolkata and in the districts in support of the hunger strike. The protesting doctors are also demanding workplace safety and security.
The All India Medical Association Federation, a body representing local medical associations across India, on Sunday (Oct 13, 2024) called for a nationwide shutdown of elective services in hospitals from Monday (Oct 14, 2024) in solidarity with the protesters. doctors. The strike by the umbrella association may affect services at private health facilities.
On Sunday (October 13, 2024), West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant called a meeting of representatives of all medical bodies on Monday (October 14, 2024) to discuss the situation. His office sent an email to about 12 medical associations urging them to send two representatives to Monday’s (October 14, 2024) meeting.
In another email addressed to the West Bengal Young Doctors Front, whose representatives are on hunger strike at the Esplanade, the general secretary urged the medical body to call off the ‘Drocher Carnival (Protest Carnival)’ scheduled for October 15. The carnival coincides with the Immersion Carnival organized by the West Bengal government where several grand Durga Pujas will take place. The place is not far from where the doctors are protesting.
The Calcutta High Court, in a recent order, said there will be no protests at the immersion carnival. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also called for a boycott of the event. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar in a press statement expressed support for the protesting doctors and urged party workers to join the protests in large numbers.
“BJP of West Bengal extends its full support to the junior doctors front in their agitation against the Mamata Banerjee government. The demands of the protesting doctors following the gruesome rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital are legitimate and must be met,” Mr. Majumdar said in the statement.
In another development, several prominent citizens of the state have written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take all possible steps to acknowledge the demands of junior doctors to end the impasse.
In an open letter, around 30 signatories, including filmmakers Aparna Sen, Sreejith Mukherjee and Kamaleswar Mukherjee, theater actor Kaushik Sen and social activist Bolan Gangopadhyay, urged the junior doctors to end their strike. The letter described the doctors’ demands as genuine and said they were willing to facilitate a situation where their concerns would be addressed.
“In the prevailing situation, we promise to be more vigilant to facilitate a situation where your concerns will be addressed and we call on the state government to acknowledge their concern and appeal to the agitating doctors to have faith in the civil society initiative to address the situation “, the letter said.
Published – October 13, 2024, 10:49 PM IST
