'Protests won't stop': Bengal IMA defies SC order over RG Kar rape case

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case: The Indian Medical Association of West Bengal has defied the Supreme Court's order for protesting junior doctors to return to work

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) of West Bengal on Monday said that it was disheartened by the Supreme Court’s order asking junior doctors to resume duties when justice has not yet been served in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident.

“No steps have been taken for a speedy trial to ensure justice,” the medical body said in an official press release, adding that it was “disheartened” by the top court’s order on junior doctors. It also expressed disappointment with the portrayal of “the junior doctors as responsible for a few deaths in the hospitals.” The IMA refuted this charge, stating that hospital services anywhere have not been hampered due to the agitating junior doctors.

“The junior doctors are fighting against the health syndicate to prevent such crimes in the future… In this situation, the IMA promises to stand by the junior doctors unconditionally in all their future movements…,” the press release stated.

The protest will not die down; it will only grow stronger, the IMA affirmed.

Supreme Court asks junior doctors to resume work

The IMA issued this statement after the top court directed striking doctors to resume their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday to avoid adverse action from the state government. The court's directive came after the West Bengal government assured that no punitive measures would be taken against the protesting doctors if they returned to work.

In response, several protesting doctors defied the order and said that a rally would be organised to ‘Swasthya Bhavan’ at noon today, demanding the resignation of the health secretary and the Director of Health Services.

Monday marked one month since the brutal rape and murder at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. On August 9, a 31-year-old trainee doctor was found assaulted and murdered in the seminar hall of the hospital during her night shift. The incident has sparked nationwide protests by junior doctors and medical staff demanding safer working conditions.