In a heartbreaking case that has shocked Kolkata, junior doctors from the city’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have appealed for justice after the brutal rape and murder of a fellow doctor. The West Bengal Junior Doctors Front has penned a four-page letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, asking for her immediate intervention. The letter has also been sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Union Health Minister JP Nadda.
Doctors Demand Justice Amid Growing Fears for Safety
The doctors’ letter expresses their fear and uncertainty following the horrific crime, urging authorities to take action so that healthcare professionals in West Bengal can perform their duties without fear.
“We humbly place these issues before your esteemed excellency, as the head of state, to ensure that our colleague, the victim of this despicable crime, receives justice,” the letter read. The protesting doctors stressed that without intervention, they are struggling to work in an atmosphere of fear, distrust, and hopelessness.
Healthcare Services in West Bengal Disrupted by Protests
Junior doctors have been protesting outside Swasthya Bhawan in the Salt Lake area of Kolkata, despite heavy rains, to demand action. Many doctors have refrained from working within the hospital premises, choosing alternative means to fulfill their healthcare duties to citizens.
The protests come after the horrific August 9 incident, when a second-year postgraduate medical student was found raped and murdered in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College. The crime has not only shaken the medical community but has also prompted widespread concern over the safety of healthcare workers in the state.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Appeals to Doctors
The protests continued even after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged doctors to return to work. In a passionate statement, Banerjee offered to resign from her position, stating, “I am not concerned about the post; I want justice for the victim and care for ordinary people.”
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Healthcare Workers Face Mounting Challenges
The junior doctors’ letter to President Murmu underlines the growing distress among medical professionals in West Bengal, emphasizing the need for immediate government action to ensure their safety. They believe that intervention from the highest offices of the country is crucial to restoring confidence within the healthcare community.
