As the 'Devi Paksha' began yesterday with 'Mahalaya' healding the beginning of worshipping the divine maternal energy right ahead of Durga Puja celebrations, thousands of junior doctors, joined by peopl🍒e from different walks of life, took out a mega protest rally on Wednesday demanding justice for the 31-year-old on-duty junior medic who was brutally raped and murdered at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar 𒁏Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Placards, Slogans, Ceasework: A fresh wave of protests
The mega rally organised by Bengal Junior Doctors' Front began at College Street and ended in Esplanade area. Wednesday's rally marked one of the largest demonstrations in recent weeks and attracted a diverse mix of p✤articipants, including doctors, nurses, medical students, and concerned citizens.
"We are not in a 'Puja' or 'Utsav' mood, and we will continue protesting on the streets till our sister gets justice. We have chosen this day of Mah𒀰alaya to send out this message," said one of the protesting doctors.
Protesters were seen raising slogans while carrying placards, and national flags asserting they would not rest until justice was served. The march comes amid doctors' 'ce🙈ase-work' stir in hospitals in protest against the rape and murder of their colleague.
"We will not give up. This i🌺s about our safety, our dignity, and justice for Abhaya. The government cannot expect us to remain silent whileཧ they do nothing," said an agitating junior doctor, while addressing the crowd.
The protesters later gathered on the banks of Ga🌄nga, lighting 1,000 diyas as a symbolic act in their fight for justice.
"Today is the 52nd day of our protest, and we are still facing attacks. There is no positive response from the ༒state government toward meeting our safety and security demands," said Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, addressing the crowd at Esplanade.
Junior doctors' ceasework continues
The protesters, mostly junior doctors, have been on a 'cease work' since Tuesday, accusing the West Bengal government of failing to fulfil promises made in mid-September. Earlier the doctors partially resumed services after 42 days of the strike. However, they resumed the ceasework alleging that key demands such as enhanced safety measures for medic🦂al staff were not implemented.
"We joine൩d our profession to serve the peopl🍌e, but how can we do so when we constantly live in fear? We don't feel safe in the very places where we are supposed to save lives," said another junior doctor.
Among the key demands raised by the Bengal Junior Doctors' Front are the installation of CCTV cameras on hospital premises, round-the-clock security for healthcare workers, and stricter protocols to prevent similar incidents of violence against med🍷ical professionals.
While the West B🦩engal government had initially promised to address many of the doctors' concerns following the first phase of protests, the agitating doctors claimed there has been little follow-up action.
"The promises made w♒ere hollow. We are bein🐲g asked to return to work without any concrete measures being put in place to ensure our safety," Mahato said.
Man arrested for threatening doctor at RG Kar Hospital
As the🌃 threat culture, fear and intimidation continue to gain spotlight in West Bengal, Kolkata Police on Wednesda⛎y arrested one person for allegedly threatening and abusing a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
It has been reported that a complaint was lodge🍰d on Wednesday afternoon by a doctor at RG Kar Hospital against a person who came with his relative to the hospital's trauma unit f🌱or treatment.
"The person abused and t𝄹hreatened the attending doctor with dire consequences over treatment of the patient. The on-duty police personnel detained him. The patient later left the hospital for treatment at another medical institute. The detained person was later arrested," a police officer said.
