Junior doctors in West Bengal have announced the resumption of ceasing work a day after the Supreme Court pulled up the state government on 30th September 2024 over the “tardy progress” in strengthening security and infrastructure at state-run hospitals. The West Bengal Junior Doctors Front (WBJDF) had also planned a rally on 2nd October to demand justice for the doctor, whose rape and murder at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024, triggered nationwide outrage. This outlines the fact that the authorities at various levels – whether at the State government or Central Government, are really not interested in ensuring safety for women or health personnel working day and night to serve the people in public hospitals.
Almost two months ago, a doctor on duty was raped and murdered at the R G Kar hospital in Kolkata, sparking vigorous protests by doctors in Bengal and indeed all over the country. The State Government and the Kolkata Police apparently did not investigate the case properly and initially tried to cover up the ghastly crime. In response to the widespread protests in Bengal and across the country, the Supreme Court of India stepped in and handed the investigation of the case over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Though the Supreme Court had then asked the junior doctors to resume work, they continued their struggle and ceased work for 41 days demanding security and other safeguards. They ended the strike partially on September 21, 2024, and resumed essential services following assurances from the state government.
The WBJDF said that to ensure that no further incidents like the August 9 rape and murder occur, “they must uproot politics of fear and ensure democratic spaces everywhere.“ In other words, the doctors are conscious that working people must be encouraged to fearlessly speak out against all kinds of oppression, horrible working conditions, and rampant corruption in health care such as was made evident even in the limited investigations into the R G Kar episode. That government medical college and hospital had been turned into a den of wide-spread corruption and all kinds of criminal activities. Those who tried to expose this did so at a grave risk to their careers and lives.
The R G Kar episode highlighted the horrendous condition that Indian women face every day – not a single day goes by without instances of stalking and harassment, violence, rape, and even murder. Much of the time such crimes are committed by powerfully connected persons, who can carry on without any fear. The conditions of work themselves were deplorable with junior doctors having to work for long periods and shifts with no breaks, and no separate rest areas or toilets for women.
The demand for security and humane working conditions put forward by the junior doctors of West Bengal was supported by millions of people all over the country. The incident and its aftermath showed the complete lack of accountability of those holding power in our country, and conversely, the utter helplessness of the people in general.
In order to discredit the doctors, the state government launched a massive campaign of lies and slander, blaming the agitating junior doctors for the deaths of patients in the hospitals. The junior doctors valiantly exposed and refuted these lies. They boldly exposed the corruption and other problems in the state government health system, holding it squarely responsible for the hardships of the patients. They persisted in their demand for punishment of the guilty, for better public health care services in the government hospitals, for better and safer working conditions for the doctors, for safety of women doctors, etc.
In one of their statements on 9th September, the doctors’ association stated: “Even after 30 days of the incident, the state government has not taken any sincere steps regarding the main demands of the movement. …No action has been taken regarding the police negligence or the healthcare corruption. The suspension of … seems more like a mere cover up. Such big suspension orders will be challenged and taken down in court. This appears to be nothing more than a facade to pacify public anger. …” Thus, the doctors have made it clear that they will not be easily fooled by the time-tested delaying, deceiving and mollifying tactics employed by the authorities.
The WBJDF made 10 demands including justice for the August 9 rape and murder victim, removal of the state health secretary, a centralised referral system, deployment of police in hospitals, filling up of vacancies in hospitals, college-level inquiry committees to probe into allegations of threat culture and the alleged corruption in the state medical council. The list of demands clearly shows that the doctors, far from being selfish, are concerned about their working conditions and pervasiveness of corruption and fear which make it very difficult for them to provide good health care. No wonder that their protest received widespread support and people hit the streets in large numbers.
The doctors resumed duty some weeks ago based on assurances given by the authorities. But there was hardly any progress or sincerity shown by the authorities in fulfilling their assurances. Hence, the WBJDF held an eight-hour-long meeting which continued until early on Tuesday 1st October to decide on resuming their strike.
The demands put forward by the junior doctors in West Bengal are completely just and once again deserve the support of all the justice-loving and hardworking people of India. We must continue to struggle for our rights, and against the system which seeks to keep the common people of our country deprived of their rights and political power.
By Venkatesh Sundaram & BA