Senior medicos at protest site, on relay hunger strike
Times of India | 8 October 2024
Kolkata: On the third day of the fast-unto-death by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), at least four seniors joined the stir with a relay hunger strike on Monday. The juniors also announced a mega rally from College Square till the Esplanade’s dharna mancha on Tuesday evening. It coincides with the 60th day of the rape-murder.
While six junior doctors began the fast-unto-death protest from Saturday night, Aniket Mahata of R G Kar Medical College joined the six on Sunday night.
They have intensified the movement demanding immediate govt response in implementing their nine-point demands along with speedy justice for their colleague.
Despite the first CBI chargesheet on the case on Monday and along the state announcing progress in security, amenity and health system revamp, the doctors remained resolute in their protests.
“Our demands are not only about CCTV camera installation but also about a visible step towards uprooting corruption and threat culture from campuses. These are issues revolving around security. Why isn’t the govt issuing a directive that will pave way for holding student union polls or setting up resident doctors’ associations?” asked a junior doctor of Calcutta National Medical College.
“Why is the state mum on dismantling West Bengal Medical Council which is the origin of corrupt practices? This is one of our demands along with the removal of the present health secretary,” said another junior doctor from NRS.
A 10-point demand and a clock have been placed on the protest stage where seven junior doctors are fasting. Their colleagues kept a check on their vitals like blood pressure. A chart on the status of their BP and blood sugar levels are being updated regularly on a board on the stage. Some of them were seen digging into their textbooks on Monday.
Meanwhile, the doctors had decided to set up the dharna mancha themselves after they were denied nod by cops. Even when they hired van rickshaws to ferry the cots from MCH to the protest site, they were stopped by cops. After a protest in front of Bowbazar PS, the doctors carried the cots on their shoulders to the Esplanade protest site.