A group of doctors and nurses of West Bengal Service Doctors Forum staged a protest march to the Raj Bhavan on Saturday, demanding justice for a junior woman doctor who was raped and killed at the R G Kar Hospital in Kolkata, on August 9.
As the rally was stopped near the Raj Bhavan, with prohibitory orders in force around the building, a five-member delegation went inside to submit a memorandum. However, as the Governor was not present, his secretary accepted the memorandum.
“It is unfortunate that the honourable Governor was away despite prior intimation about our visit. The entire state and the country want the culprits to be identified and punished.
As the constitutional head of the state, we want the governor to exercise his discretion in expediting the probe,” a spokesperson of the forum said.
Another procession was held from Neel Ratan Sircar Medical College to Raj Bhavan, demanding punishment for those involved in the RG Kar case. They also criticized the state government’s inaction and the slow pace of the CBI investigation.
Dr Biplab Chandra, State Secretary of the Medical Service Centre, issued a statement expressing deep concern over the lack of progress in the case. He urged for the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the culprits, stating, “We appeal for immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of real culprits of the heinous incident at RG KAR Medical College & Hospital.”
“People of West Bengal are crying for justice along with the entire nation and in fact with the whole world,” he said.
Criticizing the state government’s attempts to conceal the crime and its involvement, Chandra said, “The Government of West Bengal instead of ensuring justice is trying its best to conceal the magnitude of the crime and the criminals involved.”
He pointed out that, “The CBI under the direction of the Supreme Court is trying to reveal the truth, but from its present state of investigation it appears that CBI is still clueless, and far away from the reach of the criminals.”
Chandra also expressed concern and helplessness of healthcare providers in the state and said, “We healthcare providers of the state are extremely worried and feeling very much helpless with this present state affairs.”
In another solidarity movement for the victim, painters like Sanatan Dinda drew sketches in water colour and oil on canvas at Shyambazar, close to the R G Kar hospital.
“We have voiced our anguish over the brutal atrocity on our sister. It is our duty to protect every mother, daughter and sister,” Dinda said.
The painting workshop was held at the ‘dharna manch’ of DYFI and SFI – CPIM’s youth and student organisations – at Shyambazar in north Kolkata.
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