WB docs resign en masse, call for partial cease-work, march to CBI office

The West Bengal government on Saturday said the mass resignation of doctors of state-run hospitals is not valid and it must be submitted individually according to service rules.

Several doctors from state-run hospitals have submitted collectively signed "resignation" letters to the government seeking justice for the post-graduate trainee who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and in support of junior medics on a fast-unto-death to press for their demands.
 

 

"Unless an employee sends in his/her resignation personally to the employer as per service rules, it is not a resignation letter," Alapan Bandyopadhyay, chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, told reporters at the state secretariat Nabanna here.

He clarified that the letters sent by the doctors were merely collective signatures without addressing specific issues.

Bandyopadhyay emphasised the government's intention to clarify the situation amidst confusion regarding the mass resignations by senior doctors from various government hospitals, including R G Kar Medical College and IPGMER and SSKM Hospital.

Earlier this week, a group of senior doctors at R G Kar Medical College sent a collectively signed "mass resignation" letter in solidarity with their protesting junior colleagues. Subsequently, similar letters were sent by doctors from other state-run hospitals.

Junior doctors at several government hospitals in the state are on a fast-unto-death demanding justice for their murdered colleague, the resignation of the state's health secretary, and enhanced workplace security.

The government asserted that healthcare services in state-run hospitals have not been disrupted, as senior doctors continue to work normally. The junior doctors had called off their 'total cease work' at state-run medical colleges and hospitals on October 4.

The mass resignations are being interpreted as a symbolic gesture of solidarity from senior doctors with their junior counterparts, the government said.

Doctors of private hospitals on Saturday called for a 48-hour partial cease work from October 14 in medical establishments across West Bengal, in solidarity with the agitating junior medics observing a fast-unto-death, demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim.

The doctors, under the banner of Healthcare Professionals of Private Hospitals, however, said emergency services in all medical facilities will remain operational.

Maintaining that the West Bengal government has not taken any positive steps with regard to the demands of the agitating medics of state-run hospitals, the medics said the entire fraternity was worried and in anxiety over the situation.

"From October 14 onwards, majority of doctors of private set-ups will not perform any non-emergency duties," the medics told reporters here.

"But, we will make sure no patient suffers due to this, as all emergency services will be kept operational," they said.

The partial cease work will begin from 6 am of October 14.

The doctors said their agitation could be extended if they do not receive appropriate response from the state government.

"We request the government to pay heed to the protesting doctors' demands and consider those with empathy. If appropriate response is received from their side, we will go back to our usual work," the medics said in a release.

They also expressed concern over the health condition of the junior doctors, who are on a fast-unto-death, demanding justice for the postgraduate trainee, who was raped and murdered at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in August, besides enhanced workplace security, and a transparent referrral and patient admission system in government hospitals.

Two of the 11 medics on hunger strike have been admitted to hospital, after their health condition deteriorated.

Hundreds of protestors, comprising doctors, lawyers and members of civil society on Saturday led a march to the CBI office in the CGO complex in Salt Lake demanding fair and speedy justice for the gruesome murder and rape of a woman doctor of the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Originating from the Karunamoyee area in Salt Lake, the protestors marched towards the CGO complex located a few kilometres away shouting slogans like "We want justice".

They also expressed 'awe' at the CBI as the charge sheet of the central investigating body practically affirming the findings of the Kolkata Police probe which nailed one Sanjoy Roy as the sole culprit, now under custody.

"We are surprised how the CBI can endorse the probe of the Kolkata Police in its charge sheet submitted a few days back. This to our mind lacks transparency and those others behind this cruelty should be exposed", one of the protestors said.

The police had put up barricades on the roads approaching the CBI office in the CGO complex.

However, five representatives of the protestors were allowed to go inside the CBI office to submit a memorandum of demands.

The CBI is probing the rape and murder of the doctor of R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.