West Bengal Doctors' Association: A Struggle for Safety and Justice

In the heart of West Bengal, a profound crisis has unfolded in the medical fraternity. The recent spate of violence against doctors and the subsequent protests have brought the state's healthcare system to a standstill. This article delves into the intricate details of the ongoing struggle, highlighting the key events, demands, and responses from various stakeholders.

1. Background of the Crisis

The crisis began with the heinous rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, 2024. This incident sparked widespread outrage and led to a 42-day agitation by junior doctors across West Bengal. The protests, which included a complete cease-work, were aimed at demanding better safety measures and justice for the victim.

The State government had held several rounds of talks with the protesting doctors to bring them back to work. However, the situation escalated again on September 27 when relatives of a woman admitted to the Sagore Dutta Medical College and Hospital in North 24 Parganas allegedly assaulted doctors and other hospital staff after she died at the hospital. This incident led to a fresh wave of protests and threats of another strike by junior doctors.

Representatives of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front stated that they are waiting for the Supreme Court hearing scheduled for September 30, 2024, and will go on strike if the situation does not improve. The doctors have been demanding better security measures, including the allocation of 100 crore for improving the security of state-run hospitals and the implementation of the Ratrir Sathi (Helpers of the Night) initiative to support workers providing services at night.

2. Ongoing Protests and Hunger Strike

As the situation continues to deteriorate, three doctors who started a fast-unto-death on October 5 have been hospitalized. Anustup Mukherjee, a junior doctor from Medical College, Kolkata, fell ill late on Saturday, October 13, 2024. Aniket Mahato and Alok Verma, two other doctors on hunger strike, have also been hospitalized due to deteriorating health.

The fast-unto-death has entered its ninth day, with doctors and citizens organizing fasts at various places in Kolkata and districts in support of the hunger strike. The protesting doctors are demanding safety and security at the workplace among other things. In solidarity with their West Bengal colleagues, doctors from different medical colleges in Delhi are planning to escalate their protests, including fasting while working or pen-down strikes.

The Federation of All India Medical Association has called for a nationwide shutdown of elective services at hospitals from Monday, October 14, 2024, in solidarity with the protesting doctors. This move is likely to affect services at private health facilities as well.

3. Government Response and Meetings

In response to the escalating protests, the West Bengal government has called all doctors' organizations in the state for a meeting on Monday, October 14, 2024. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant sent emails to about 12 associations of doctors urging them to attend the meeting with a delegation of two members from each organization.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also in charge of the health and home departments, has met the junior doctors thrice. This is the first time the government has invited all doctors' bodies, including those comprising senior doctors, for a meeting. The meeting is scheduled to take place at Sasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the health department.

The government's efforts to address the crisis come as the Joint Platform of Doctors has announced a 12-hour symbolic hunger strike and agitation across Bengal on Monday and a protest carnival in Kolkata on Tuesday. The carnival coincides with the Durga idol immersion carnival organized by the West Bengal government.

In an attempt to mitigate the situation, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has urged the Joint Platform of Doctors and the Junior Doctors Forum not to hold their carnival. However, this request has been met with skepticism by the protesting doctors, who feel that the government is not taking their demands seriously.

4. Public Support and Solidarity

The protests have garnered significant public support, with many citizens showing solidarity with the agitating doctors. Homemakers have even responded to a call raised from the agitation site in Kolkata to shut their home kitchens for half a day in support of the doctors on hunger strike.

Citizens gathered at the site of the hunger strike at Esplanade in the heart of Kolkata tied rakhi on each other's wrists and took an oath to take the movement forward. Prominent citizens, including film-makers Aparna Sen and Srijit Mukherjee, have written an open letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging her to sit across the table with the agitating doctors.

The letter describes the demands by doctors as genuine and promises to facilitate a situation where their concerns will be addressed. It also calls upon the State government to acknowledge their concern and urge the agitating medics to have faith in civil society initiatives to address the situation.

5. Political Reactions and Controversies

The protests have also drawn political reactions, with some leaders facing backlash from the agitating doctors. West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar faced go back slogans from the protesting doctors at Sagore Dutta MCH who said they did not want representatives of any political parties visiting the protest site.

Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir courted controversy by threatening to take 10,000 people to gherao the protesting junior doctors of the Murshidabad MCH in Baharampur. He argued that the agitating doctors were protesting in air-conditioned rooms while the masses suffered on the streets.

In contrast, West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar expressed support to the protesting doctors and urged party workers to join the protests in large numbers. He stated that the demands by protesting doctors in the aftermath of the gruesome rape and murder of a woman doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital are legitimate and must be fulfilled.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh argued that the hunger strike was being carried out only to complicate matters. He stated that the high court had ordered a CBI probe, and the federal agency was working under the watch of the Supreme Court. Therefore, he believed that there was no role for the state government to play in this matter.

6. Legal Proceedings and Investigations

The CBI continues to investigate the rape and murder case, with former principal Dr Sandip Ghosh being quizzed for over 140 hours. Three persons, including Dr Ghosh, have been arrested so far in connection with the crime.

The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the incident, which has been ongoing. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been inquiring about the infrastructure and protocols involved in preserving dead bodies and conducting post-mortems at the hospital morgue.

The BJP's Mahila Morcha has also been actively involved in the protests, with senior leaders putting up a giant-sized model of a lock on the gate of the West Bengal State Womens Commission, alleging it has failed to issue a single statement after the rape and murder of the trainee doctor.

The CBI's investigation has been ongoing, with multiple teams visiting the state-run Kar hospital as part of their probe. The agency's efforts aim to uncover the truth behind this heinous crime and ensure justice for the victim.

7. Conclusion

The ongoing protests by West Bengal doctors highlight the deep-seated issues within the state's healthcare system. The demands for better safety measures and justice for the victim are legitimate and must be addressed promptly. The government's response, including calling all doctors' organizations for talks, is a step in the right direction. However, the situation demands more concrete actions to ensure the safety and security of medical professionals.

As the Supreme Court hearing approaches, it is crucial that all stakeholders work towards finding a resolution that addresses the concerns of both the government and the agitating doctors. The solidarity shown by medical professionals across India underscores the gravity of this issue and the need for immediate action.

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