West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the site outside Swasthya Bhawan in Salt Lake, where junior doctors have been protesting for the fourth consecutive night. The protest, which continues despite heavy rain, is a response to the tragic rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.
The junior doctors have gathered at the protest site to demand justice for their colleague and to call for improved safety measures at medical institutions across the state. Their demonstration has drawn significant attention and has seen increased security, with the Kolkata Police installing CCTV cameras in and around the area.
The protest has taken a political turn, with the doctors voicing criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. On September 13, the doctors expressed their disappointment after Banerjee rejected their request to live telecast a meeting intended to address their demands. Anustup Mukherjee, one of the protest leaders, argued that their request for live coverage was reasonable, given the precedents for live telecasts of parliamentary and administrative meetings. He also criticized the requirement to leave electronic devices outside the meeting hall, which he claimed prevented any documentation of the proceedings.
In response to the ongoing agitation, Chief Minister Banerjee has urged the protesting doctors to return to work, assuring them of her commitment to justice. During a press conference, Banerjee offered to resign from her position if necessary, stating, “I am ready to resign from the Chief Minister of West Bengal. I am not concerned about the post. I want justice for the victim, and I am only concerned about ordinary people receiving medical services.”
The protests were triggered by the horrific incident on August 9, when a second-year postgraduate medical student was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College. The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage, with junior doctors demanding urgent reforms and greater safety protocols to protect healthcare professionals.
As the situation evolves, both the government and the medical community are under intense scrutiny, working towards a resolution and ensuring justice for the victim.