Bengal junior doctors refuse to relent, continue fast-unto-death

Six junior medics have been on the fast-onto-death since Saturday evening and later one more joined them

Kolkata: Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal continued their fast-unto-death for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding justice for the rape and murder of a woman medic of the RG Kar hospital and workplace safety even as the State government remained silent to address their issues.

Six junior medics have been on the fast-onto-death since Saturday evening and later one more joined them. “Our fast-unto-death protest is on. We have not received any message from the State government. We will continue this until all our demands are met. No external pressure will be able to move us from our path of protest seeking justice for our deceased sister… It’s now or never,” Aniket Mahato, a junior doctor, said.

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Mahato of RG Kar hospital joined Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata medical college, Arnab Mukhopadhyay of SSKM hospital, Pulastha Acharya of NRS medical college and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC medical college for the fast-unto-death protest.

The junior medics also alleged non-cooperation on the part of the Kolkata Police as they were not allowed to set up bio-toilets at the protest site at Dorina Crossing in the Dharmatala area of the city. To maintain transparency, the junior medics have installed CCTV cameras where their colleagues are holding the strike.

A large number of people and a few celebrities gathered at the protest site to express solidarity with the agitating doctors. On Friday, the junior doctors had called off their ‘total cease work’, which had crippled healthcare services at state-run medical colleges and hospitals.

The protesting doctors emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority. They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, as well as accountability for the alleged administrative incompetence and action against corruption in the department.