Kolkata rape-murder: Campuses revolt against Ghosh 'loyalists'
Times of India | 5 September 2024
KOLKATA: Campus revolts rocked some Bengal medical colleges on Wednesday, forcing the removal of one principal and transfer of a senior doctor over allegations of their links to arrested RG Kar Hospital's ex-principal Sandip Ghosh.
North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri and College of Medicine and JNM Hospital (CMJNMH) in Kalyani bore the brunt of the protests.Ghosh is allegedly part of the infamous "North Bengal lobby" - referring to influential alumni of North Bengal Medical College - that is blamed for many ills plaguing the state's healthcare system.
In North Bengal Medical College, students, junior doctors and teachers called for the resignation of dean of students' affairs, Sandip Sengupta, for alleged involvement in manipulation and unauthorised involvement in examinations, and nurturing a threat culture with the involvement of some Trinamool Chhatra Parishad members.
A mark sheet was showcased of a TMCP member whose score was manipulated from 45 to 95. The protesters alleged the dean was working on the instructions of Avik Dey, a post-graduate trainee of SSKM Hospital. Dey was purportedly seen in a video of the crime scene at RG Kar where the junior doctor was raped and killed on Aug 9.
Sengupta denied the charges. "I am not involved in corruption or manipulation of answer sheets. I used to get calls from Avik and had to go outside the exam hall since I cannot take calls inside as there are CCTV cameras," said Sengupta.
At CMJNMH, the ire was directed at principal Abhijit Mukherjee. The protesters claimed Mukherjee did not have requisite experience to head a medical college and was appointed principal because of his loyalty to a particular lobby in the health syndicate.
At Burdwan Medical College, senior doctor Birupaksha Biswas was transferred as senior resident (SR) at Kakdwip sub-divisional hospital in South 24 Parganas. After his release order from Burdwan, junior doctors at the Kakdwip hospital started agitating, saying they did not want him.