RG Kar Case: Junior Doctors Hold Mass Convention; New Forum Accuses Them of Promoting Threat Culture

Mass convention at RG Kar Medical College and HospitalX/@abhinabavlogs

EOI, KOLKATA, OCT 26, 2024 : Within five days of withdrawing their fast-unto-death, agitating junior doctors in West Bengal held a mass convention on Saturday to strategize their next move in seeking justice for the RG Kar victim and to ensure that the state government fulfills their demands.

The four-hour-long convention, held at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was attended by doctors from various state-run medical establishments, along with representatives of civil society. Participants discussed the alleged threat culture prevalent in various state-run hospitals and outlined steps to exert pressure on the state government to address their concerns.

"We have called this mass convention to seek justice for our sister, who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital on August 9," said Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors.

Meanwhile, another group of doctors, who obtained a stay order from the Calcutta High Court regarding their suspension issued by an internal committee for allegedly promoting a "threat culture" in medical colleges and hospitals, announced the formation of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Association on Saturday. They alleged that members of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front collected approximately Rs 4 crore 75 lakh in the name of agitation. According to Sris Chakraborty, one of the convenors of the new association, this amount was transferred in parts to different accounts belonging to members of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front over the last two months.

Chakraborty claimed that while they were very much part of the junior doctors’ agitation seeking justice for the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder victim, they were not in favor of a cease-work. They wished to continue their agitation while performing their duties, which led to members of the front threatening them. The convenor stated that they, too, would hold a mass convention in the city soon.

However, Debasish Halder, a key member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, remarked at the mass convention that "the protest started by a few doctors has now taken a massive shape. We wanted to know what happened in the seminar hall of the hospital (where the body was found). We had no idea that this movement would continue for so long and that we would receive the support of so many people."

On October 21, the agitating junior doctors called off their fast-unto-death, which had begun on October 5, following a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who assured them that their demands would be addressed. On Saturday, the junior doctors also alleged attempts to suppress the truth regarding the circumstances leading to the rape and murder of the on-duty doctor at RG Kar Hospital and expressed concerns about efforts to protect the culprits involved in the incident. (With inputs from PTI)