RG Kar Rape Case: Doctors' Fasting Unto Death Enters Day 5; Demonstration, Leaflets At Durga Puja Pandals

Seven of the thousands of junior doctors who have been on the roads for the past two months demanding justice for the 31-year-old on-duty junior doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, continued their 'fast-unto-death' for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday. Till the time of this report, it has been reported that the agitating junior doctors have reached the Swasthya Bhavan for a meeting with the chief secretary, home secretary, health secretary, and DG Rajiv Kumar.

The list of seven medics who have been fasting includes doctors Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja, and Anustup Mukhopadhyay from Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, Arnab Mukhopadhyay from SSKM, Pulastha Acharya from NRS Medical College and Hospital, and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra from KPC Medical College have been staging a 'fast-unto-death' since Saturday evening. On Sunday, they were joined by Aniket Mahato from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Commenting on the ongoing hunger strike, agitating junior doctor Aniket Mahato said, "We will continue this hunger strike as we had promised. Some leaders of the ruling party are making fun of our protest, but we would like to tell them that there is no fake in that. If they want they can come here and check themselves... We will not stop until our demands are met."

On Tuesday, the junior medics were also joined by the senior doctors. When asked about the supportive move, Dr Punyabrata Gun, one of the joint convenors of the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors said that they would continue supporting the junior medics as they were "keen to tender resignation" to put the government under pressure to fulfil the demands of the junior medics.

RG Kar protests: What are the demands?

Since the day one of the agitation, the junior doctors have made it clear that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their primary focus.

However, the additional demands include the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, accountability for administrative failures, and measures to combat corruption within the department.

The doctors also sought the establishment of a centralised referral system for hospitals, implementing a bed vacancy monitoring system, ensuring proper facilities at workplaces, and increasing police protection in hospitals.

Moreover, increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are also included in their list of demands.

Leaflets, demonstrations at pandals: A different Durga Puja

This year, the quintessential Durga Puja vibe in Kolkata also embraces the ongoing protest seeking justice for 'Tilottoma'. To further spread the word of protest, the agitating junior doctors have decided to distribute leaflets outlining their demands for justice at various Durga Puja pandals across the city. Furthermore, a blood donation camp will also be held.

"Tomorrow we will hold a blood donation camp and distribute leaflets at various puja pandals, highlighting our demands. The mass resignation of our senior doctors earlier during the day has boosted our confidence, but we believe that the West Bengal government is exerting pressure on them," junior medic Debasish Halder said on Tuesday night.

The Santosh Mitra Square puja pandal on Tuesday witnessed a demonstration over the rape and murder of the doctor when a group started raising "We want justice" and "Justice for RG Kar" slogans amid the crowded pandal.

Commenting on the incident, the puja committee's secretary Sajal Ghosh told PTI that every day many visitors were chanting slogans at the pandal, demanding justice for the doctor.

"People are free to raise slogans. It is people's festival where the pain and anguish of the people should not be throttled," said Ghosh, a BJP leader.

"We believe in enabling people to make their voices heard. Like some other pujas in south Kolkata, we don't believe in raising the volume of the sound system to drown the people's voices. We believe in hearing people's voices," he said.