Over 45 senior doctors resign from RG Kar in support of juniors' protest

Over 45 senior doctors of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have resigned, expressing solidarity with their junior colleagues who are protesting against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in August this year.

In Short

• Senior doctors resign in solidarity with their protesting juniors
• They urge the government to speak to protesting junior doctors
• Demands include better security at hospitals, removal of health secretary

Over 45 senior doctors and faculty members of RG Kar Medical Centre and Hospital on Tuesday resigned, expressing solidarity with their junior colleagues who were protesting against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor within the hospital's premises in August this year.

While submitting the resignations, the senior doctors claimed that the demands of their junior colleagues had not been met and that there was "no development" in the probe linked to the rape and murder of the trainee doctor.

They also urged the administration of RG Kar hospital to "reconcile" with protesting doctors, who are on 'fast-unto-death' demanding justice for the trainee doctor.

"The health of the protesting doctors who are currently sitting on hunger strike is deteriorating. We request the government to come into reconciliation with protesting doctors and the ones who are sitting on an indefinite hunger strike," senior doctors said in their letter to RG Kar hospital's administration.

"We senior doctors of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital are giving mass resignation as the government seems to be oblivious to the deteriorating condition of the doctors on hunger strike and if the situation demands we will also go for individual resignation," the senior doctors added in a statement.

Meanwhile, another doctor's organisation, the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD), also issued a statement in support of their junior colleagues.

Doctors Punyabrata Gun and Hiralal Konar, joint convenor of JPD, in a statement said, "Many faculty members /senior doctors in government service expressed their desire to submit mass resignation in view of the ongoing movement 'Justice for Abhaya' and against a corruption-threat syndicate, for campus democracy and patient-friendly system. Junior doctors are on hunger strike and have sat in demonstrations for the last five days for their demands."

"Yet, no response from the appropriate authorities to solve, to save our children from impending health disasters. In this situation, the Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal, will stand in solidarity if medical teachers/ government doctors go for mass resignation. JPD also appeals to those who are in private practice, to take some befitting action," they said in their statement.

Junior doctors continued their 'fast-unto-death' for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday amid Durga Puja festivities demanding justice for the RG Kar rape-murder victim, even as around 15 senior doctors joined them in solidarity by staging a symbolic hunger strike.