Defying the Supreme Court’s directive to resume duties by 5 PM on September 10, the protesting junior doctors continued their cease work for the 33rd day on Wednesday to press their demand for justice for the RG Kar victim.
The West Bengal government on Wednesday again invited the agitating junior doctors for talks on the ongoing impasse, following an email sent by the medics earlier in the day.
“We invite your delegation, preferably consisting of 12-15 colleagues to join us for a discussion at 6 PM today, i.e. 11.09.2024, in Nabanna. A list of the members of your delegation may please be intimated by email. We look forward to your positive response and hope for a fruitful dialogue,” State Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said in the letter.
In response to the state government’s invitation, an email reply was sent at 5.23 pm to the chief secretary mentioning certain demands.
Agitating junior doctors have demanded that a 30-member delegation be allowed to attend a meeting in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, provided that the entire discussion must be streamed live for the purpose of transparency.
They also stressed the suspension of former principal of RG Kar Hospital Sandip Ghosh “with disciplinary proceedings along with all others involved directly or indirectly with tampering of evidence”.
“Action against incompetent and complacent police authorities and disciplinary action against Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, DC North and DC Central,” they mentioned.
The agitating doctors demanded proper security in all hospitals and government healthcare centres and an end to the threat culture prevalent in all facets of government healthcare facilities by ensuring democratic representation of students, junior doctors, and doctors in all official bodies.
Timeline of what has transpired since the RG Kar incident:
On August 9 a dead body of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital was found in the seminar hall of the hospital.
Victim’s parents were informed of the ‘alleged suicide’. Kolkata Police filed an unnatural death case (not an FIR) and conducted their inquest and a post-mortem was done on the basis of a GD
Later at night, an FIR was after the victim was cremated.
Following which Kolkata police arrested a civic volunteer Sanjay Roy. And the autopsy report of the victim confirmed murder following sexual assault.
Next, the Bengal government transferred the Superintendent of RG Kar hospital.
After which, the Principal of RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Sandip Ghosh, stepped down from his post following demands of his resignation.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court took cognisance of the matter and handed over the case to the CBI.
August 15: A large group of unidentified men stormed into RG Kar Hospital and vandalised the place where the dead body of the victim was found.
August 16: At least 19 people were arrested for vandalism at RG Kar Hospital. Kin of the victim alleged the involvement of several interns and physicians of RG Kar Hospital.
August 17: The Indian Medical Association sought the Prime Minister’s intervention and called for a one-day nationwide strike of doctors.
From August 18, nationwide protests demanding capital punishment for the accused grew. And the Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the incident and posted the matter for hearing on August 20.
Meanwhile, the CBI was grilling the ex-RG Kar Hospital Principal, Sandip Ghosh. A local court granted CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) permission to conduct a polygraph test on the accused.
August 20: A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and asked the state government and Kolkata Police to submit a status report.
Notably, meanwhile, the protests were gaining momentum.
August 22: The Supreme Court reprimanded Kolkata Police for delay in taking action in the case. And questioned the delay in filing FIR. The court also urged the protesting doctors to return to work.
Following the Supreme Court’s request, the doctors called off the strike and returned to work. But the RG Kar medics refused to comply till their demands were met.
August 26: The ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ march was called by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj, to be carried out on August 27, seeking Mamata Banerjee’s resignation.
August 27: The protest march to Nabanna commenced which turned ugly as protestors broke barricades and pelted stones at the police personnel deployed in the city. Clashes broke out between police and protesters. Police fired teargas and resorted to water cannon and lathi charges to disperse the protesters.
September 4: Meanwhile, the nation was looking up to the Supreme Court’s hearing which was to take place on September 5. But that got deferred, leading to another ‘Reclaim the night’ campaign which was a replica of the same campaign which took place on the eve of Independence Day.
While the protest continued to engulf West Bengal, the next hearing in the Supreme Court was slated for September 9 (Monday). The bench asked the CBI to submit a fresh status report owing to lapses in the postmortem report and other discrepancies. SC asked RG Kar medics to resume work and had set a deadline of 5PM on Tuesday, failing which the state government could take any action against them.
September 10: Protesting doctors marched to Swasthya Bhavan and have been on a sit-in protest since then.
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