Kolkata Junior Doctors Continue Protest Despite Supreme Court Deadline
In Kolkata, junior doctors have announced their intention to persist with their protests, despite a Supreme Court mandate requiring them to resume duties by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The doctors are demonstrating in response to the rape and murder of a fellow junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, a case that has garnered significant attention and outrage.
On Monday, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and including Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued a directive for the protesting doctors to return to their posts by the specified deadline. The Court stipulated that disciplinary actions would be initiated against any doctors failing to comply. However, it also assured that no punitive measures would be taken if the doctors resumed their duties on time.
The junior doctors, undeterred by the Court’s decision, have outlined additional demands, including the suspension of high-ranking health officials such as the Health Secretary, the Director of Health Services, and the Director of Medical Education. In a bid to further their cause, they plan to march to Swastha Bhavan, the headquarters of the health department in Salt Lake, on Tuesday afternoon.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also appealed to the doctors to return to work, echoing the Supreme Court’s call. Despite this, the junior doctors remain resolute, citing ongoing deficiencies in the healthcare system as a central issue. They argue that their protest highlights broader systemic problems, including a shortage of adequately trained medical personnel.
The junior doctors have presented statistics to underscore their concerns. Of the 245 state-run hospitals in West Bengal, only 26 are medical colleges and hospitals. With approximately 7,500 junior doctors in the state and a total of around 93,000 registered doctors, they question how their temporary absence could lead to a collapse of the entire health system.
The situation remains tense as both the protesting doctors and the authorities navigate the complex dynamics of healthcare reform and public safety.
