40 days on, more than 100 docs in North Bengal lobby ostracised
Times of India | 18 September 2024
Kolkata: The 40 days of the junior doctors’ movement has hammered a dent in the structure of the infamous North Bengal lobby, which the medical fraternity holds responsible for corruption and inculcating threat culture on medical college campuses. More than 100 doctors and students have been ostracised by the medical fraternity.
While 51, including 34 junior doctors at RG Kar, are facing inquiry or are debarred from campuses, such as IPGMER, North Bengal Medical College, Burdwan Medical College and Sagore Dutta, the heat is even on junior doctors and students who owed allegiance to the North Bengal lobby.Among the most notorious in the lobby is former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh, whose name features on the list of the alleged health syndicate, run by the lobby. Ghosh is in custody on charges of financial misconduct and alleged role in destruction of evidence in the rape and murder of the PGT doctor.
After Suhrita Paul, ex-VC of WBUHS, replaced Ghosh as the RG Kar principal, students and junior doctors had opposed her appointment so much so that the govt was forced to shift her to Barasat Medical. The protesters had said Paul, too, was part of the North Bengal lobby and had allegations of corruption against her.
Another notorious face is that of West Bengal Medical Council president Sudipto Roy, who is facing probe for financial irregularities. Raids are being carried out on his house and nursing home. Roy, a Trinamool MLA from Serampore, was the chairman of Rogi Kalyan Samiti of both RG Kar and Medical College and Hospital well as Medical College till the CM announced the dismantling of the Samitis. “The health department and the govt are yet to take action against some others, who are on top rungs of this lobby, such as Shyamapada Das and Sushata Roy. What action is the govt against those two as well as Sudipto Roy? We want more action to cleanse the health administration,” said general surgery prof Manas Gumta, member of Association of Health Service Doctors, West Bengal.
Juniors in the rank and file of the lobby, like Avik De and Birupaksha Biswas, have been suspended by the health department, which has ordered inquiries against the two for intimidating others, promoting unfair means during exams and collecting unaccounted-for cash from students. The medical council, too, has suspended the duo. Sourav Paul, senior resident doctor at RG Kar, and Ranajit Saha, house staff at IPGMER, have been debarred from their campuses and their college councils are conducting inquiry against them.
Doctors said a lot more needed to be done to cleanse the health system. “We need more tangible action by the govt against this lobby to win the confidence of the medical fraternity. Their registration should also be cancelled for now,” said Sajal Biswas of Association of Health Service Doctors. “Our junior doctors’ movement brought the corruption to the fore. It’s the right time to destroy the lobby,” said a principal.