Over 70 senior doctors at Kalyani JNM Hospital in West Bengal have threatened to resign in protest, demanding justice for the woman doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
In an email to the Registrar of West Bengal Health University, 77 doctors announced they would cease work starting October 14, citing “mental devastation” and their “inability to work in the current state of mind” as reasons. The doctors also expressed solidarity with junior doctors who have been on a fast-unto-death, drawing attention to the worsening health of the protesters.
Their demands include the immediate removal of Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, enhanced workplace security, and swift action from the state government, which they criticised for its “apparent lack of visible effort” to resolve the crisis.
The Kalyani JNM doctors have set October 14 as the deadline for the authorities to address their concerns, warning they will formally resign if no action is taken. In recent days, several doctors from other state-run hospitals have also submitted collective resignation letters to the government.
On Saturday, the state government declared that these mass resignations would not be valid unless submitted individually, as per service rules.