Junior doctors in Bengal reject Mamata's appeal to end ceasework

The agitating junior doctors in West Bengal, who have been continuing ceasework for 20 days to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a medic, on Wednesday rejected chief minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to join duty.

A member of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum said they would not withdraw the agitation unless their demands, such as justice for the deceased postgraduate trainee of R.G. Kar Hospital, were met.

They also demanded the suspension of Dr Sandip Ghosh — former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital — from the state health service, and the same action against Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal.

The doctors' forum took out a rally in the Shyambazar area of north Kolkata to press for its demands. "We are glad to know that the chief minister is supporting our cause. We want to return to work but that is not possible now as our demands are yet to be met," the member of the forum said.

Addressing a rally organised by Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, Banerjee said, "I have remained sympathetic towards the cause of the doctors from the very beginning since they were seeking justice for their colleague. We did not take any action against them although so many days have passed since the incident. We understand your pain. But please come back to work now since patients are suffering."

The agitating medics demanded elections in colleges, participation of junior doctors and students in all decision-making committees of the medical facilities and security measures at workplaces.

During the rally, which culminated in the Esplanade area of central Kolkata, the junior doctors carried placards and posters and raised demands for justice for the deceased medic.

The doctors' rally coincided with a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP to protest against police action during the 'Nabanna Abhijan' by Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj, an unregistered students' organisation.

On 9 August, the police recovered the body of a woman postgraduate trainee doctor from the seminar hall of the hospital. A CBI probe into her alleged sexual assault and murder is currently underway.