Kolkata: The West Bengal Junior Doctors Front (WBJDF) announced the resumption of ceasing work a day after the Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the state government over the “tardy progress” in strengthening security and infrastructure at state-run hospitals. WBJDF has also planned a rally on Wednesday to demand justice for the trainee doctor, whose rape and murder at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 triggered nationwide outrage. “We are compelled to return to a full cease-work starting from today. Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the WBJDF said in a press release.
The meeting of WBJDF was called hours after the Supreme Court pulled up the state government saying that not even 50% of the work on strengthening security at hospitals had been completed. “No part of the work is above 50%. Work on duty rooms 49%, work on washrooms 40%, lighting arrangement 39%, and CCTV installation 26%. Why is the progress so tardy? We have been monitoring this for quite some time,” the court said. The state government told the court that there has been some logistical delay due to the situation in the state. “Tenders had to be floated. Most of the work will be completed by October 15,” said Rakesh Dwivedi, the state’s counsel. He added tenders related to RG Kar Hospital have matured. “Permission from the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation probing the rape and murder] is needed to undertake the development work.” Dwivedi told the court that the doctors had resumed only essential services.
Junior doctors ceased work for 41 days demanding security amid outrage over the rape and murder. They ended the strike partially on September 21 and resumed essential services following assurances from the state government. The chief secretary subsequently issued directives in that regard. The Kolkata Police Commissioner was among the top officers removed as per the demands of the striking junior doctors. WBJDF said they have demanded the elimination of the politics of fear from every hospital and medical college in the state from day one of their movement. It added to ensure that no further incidents like the August 9 rape and murder occur, they must uproot politics of fear and ensure democratic spaces everywhere. “Yet, we see no goodwill from the state government on this front.” WBJDF said no inquiry committees have been set up against the heads of the “current threat syndicate” in healthcare. It added that the government has taken no initiatives to form elected student councils in colleges.
WBJDF made 10 demands including justice for the August 9 rape and murder victim, removal of the state health secretary, a centralised referral system, deployment of police in hospitals, filling up of vacancies in hospitals, college-level inquiry committees to probe into allegations of threat culture and the alleged corruption in the state medical council.