West Bengal Junior Doctors Resume Indefinite Ceasework

Kolkata: Junior doctors of West Bengal resumed their casework, this time in total strength for an indefinite period, at all the government medical colleges and hospitals from Tuesday in the state, ten days after ending it.

They, under the banner of West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, will also hit the streets in a protest rally from College Square to Dharmatala in the city on Wednesday.

They claimed that they returned to strike mode after the Mamata Banerjee government failed to fulfil all of the five promises it made to them last time when their agitation continued for 42 days following the brutal rape and murder of an-duty female doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

This time, they placed 10 demands before the government. These include removal of IAS officer NS Nigam as the state health secretary which had featured among the five demands previously.

The other demands include task forces in every medical college, increased police protection in hospitals, and immediate hiring for all staff vacancies. The junior doctors’ renewed move has created a fresh challenge for the state government as it came a week before the Durga Puja.

One of them, Aniket Mahato, alleged, “We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfil our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day (of the protest) and we are still being attacked and there is no attempt to keep the other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the given situation, we are left with no option other than opting for full cease work, starting today."

He added, “Unless we see clear action from the state government on these demands, this complete cease work will continue."