On Wednesday, junior doctors and residents continued in their protest on Tuesday, defying the deadline set by the Supreme Court, in an effort to bring justice to the postgraduate trainee physician who was sexually assaulted and killed at the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last month. The doctors were ordered to report for duty by 5 PM today by the Supreme Court on Monday.
On Tuesday night, the physicians organised a protest march demanding justice at Bengal’s Health Department Headquarters, Swasthya Bhavan. The physicians declared that they would not stop their “cease work” until their demands were met and the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder victim received justice. The doctors in protest have called for separate bathrooms and toilets for doctors who are on duty, sufficient security measures, CCTV, female security guards for women, and security guards outside of OT rooms and wards.
One of the junior doctors quoted, “We will continue with the cease work as our demands are not fulfilled. We had asked the state government to remove the Kolkata Police Commissioner, health secretary, director of health services and the director of medical education by 5 PM. We are open to discussion.”
On Monday, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud made the statement that demonstrations cannot be carried out at the expense of duties in reference to the physicians’ demonstration following the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. He quoted, “We want to ensure that doctors resume work and we will give them safety, security… but they have to join work. When we said that no adverse action shall be taken against the doctors…Mr (Kapil) Sibal states that no action, including punitive transfers, should be there.”
India DY Chandrachud also added, “If the doctors report for duty on or before 5 pm tomorrow then no adverse disciplinary action shall be taken against them. All complaints on safety and security shall be promptly attended to. However, if there is continuous abstaining from work then disciplinary action can be taken against them and they cannot be oblivious to the general concerns of the community whom they are intended to serve.”