The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has decided to resume its strike in response to an incident of vandalism at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, where a woman doctor was raped and murdered.
Earlier, the Doctors' Association had called off the strike following a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda on August 13.
In a press release issued on August 15, FORDA stated: "The events that have unfolded since, particularly the violence last night, have shocked and anguished us all. This represents a dark chapter for our profession."
"As an association, we reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with our fellow resident doctors," it said.
The Doctors' Association further said: "We strongly condemn the Union Ministry and state government for their failure to honour their commitments and ensure the safety of healthcare professionals during this crisis. Given the gravity of recent developments and the overwhelming call for justice, we have decided to resume the strike, effective immediately," it said.
"The events of the past few days have reinforced our commitment to our rights, our dignity, and the future of our profession. This is a pivotal moment. We must stand firm, united, and resolute in our struggle for justice and the respect we deserve," the Doctors' Association stated in its press release.
Scuffle Outside RG Kar Hospital Amid Protests
A major scuffle broke out at RG Kar Medical College And Hospital where doctors have been protesting since August 9 over the murder and rape of a trainee doctor. The midnight protests were disrupted by an unruly mob which attacked protestors, police officials and doctors at the site.
The police responded by carrying out lathi charge and throwing tear gas shells in order to disperse the crowd.
As per the visuals shared online, stones were pelted on the hospital campus which left several cops bloodied. At least two police vehicles were also vandalised while a bike was set on fire outside the hospital.
Protests Across The Country
Amid the spiraling row over the gruesome sexual assault and murder of the on-duty 31-year-old junior doctor in Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, women across Bengal and several other states in the country are hitting the streets from Wednesday night as a symbol of protest against the brutal incident.
Following the chilling details of the autopsy of the 31-year-old doctor, certain experts have now stated that the woman was gang-raped before being brutally murdered.
As per a doctor associated with the Left-affiliated Joint Forum of Doctors, some of the findings of the post-mortem indicated that the victim had been raped by more than one person, Indian Express reported.
Shaken by the revelation of harrowing details of the incident, thousands of doctors across the country initiated demonstrations and ceased work at several medical colleges and hospitals across the country.
The trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at the hospital on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. The Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the investigation into the crime to the CBI from the Kolkata Police on August 13.
