Doctors and medical students have continued to protest across India demanding justice for a woman doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Junior doctors of Kolkata’s Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital staged a protest on Friday (August 16). The slogan ‘We want justice’ was raised in protest of this incident.
Dr. Akash of RML Hospital appealed to the public and doctors to come out in large numbers and peacefully raise their issues before the government and seek justice for the rape and murder victims of women doctors.
He said, ‘I appeal to all doctors and common people, come in large numbers, so that we can peacefully raise our issues before the government and seek justice for our colleague in Bengal (West Bengal), who lost his life in this barbaric and heinous incident. ‘
“We also want to tell our protesting friends in Bengal that they are not alone in this fight, all doctors across the country stand in solidarity with them. We are demanding Central Security Act from the government. Our protest will continue until we get assurances from the government that firm action will be taken.’
Meanwhile, the Resident Doctors Association of Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab has announced suspension of all non-essential and alternative hospital services, including outpatient departments, operation theaters and wards, from Friday until further notice.
Doctors are protesting in front of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar.
Kerala Medical Postgraduates Association (KMPGA), Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Regional Cancer Center (RCC), Dental PG Association, House Surgeons Association and resident doctors’ associations of various medical colleges have called for a 24-hour strike in the state. .
Graduate and post graduate medical, dental and paramedical students are continuing their silent protest in Nair hospital premises demanding safe environment in government medical colleges and hospitals. Outpatient services there have been closed.
Doctors at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu protest wearing black badges.
Dr. Aruleswaran of Trichy Doctors Association said, ‘We are protesting to condemn the death of the woman doctor of RG Kar Medical Hospital and College and to ensure the safety of the medical staff. We request the central government to conduct proper investigation and punish the culprits as soon as possible.’
He said, ‘Doctors have to provide two levels of security. It will encourage more students to enter this profession.’
Besides, a general strike of 12 hours has been called in Siliguri by Socialist Unity Center of India (Communist). The normal public life of Siliguri is being disrupted due to the strike.
Most of the shops in the city are closed from 6 pm on Thursday (August 15).
SUCI (Communist) member Dr. Shahriar Alam said, ‘Today’s strike has had a great impact. People spontaneously responded to our call and people across Siliguri did not take out vehicles, nor did they open shops like in the Medical College area. We have called this strike to protest the heinous incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
It is to be noted that last Friday, the body of a female doctor was recovered in a bloody condition on the fourth floor of the emergency department of RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata. After this incident, the junior doctors of RG Kar joined the movement by accusing the doctor of rape and murder.
Later, other doctors from different hospitals of the state joined the movement. But this movement is now not limited to doctors only, starting from various hospitals in West Bengal, it has now spread to common people all over India.