Amid ongoing protests over the Kolkata rape and murder case, the protesting doctors on Friday said they will meet Union Health Minister JP Nadda and submit a six-point memorandum, urging for his immediate intervention. In their memorandum, the protesting doctors urged the health minister to initiate a fair probe into rape and murder case. They also demanded an ordinance to be passed within 48 hours to address the safety concerns of healthcare professionals.
Check demands of protesting doctors
In their third demand, the doctors said the ordinance must be followed by introduction of a comprehensive bill in upcoming Winter Session of the Parliament.
They further said the passed ordinance must remain in force until the bill is passed by Parliament and enacted as a law.
In their memorandum to the health minister, the protesting doctors demanded the deployment of CAPF forces at the RG Kar hospital where the crime was committed. They also demanded financial compensation for the victim’s family. “Failure to do so will leave us no choice but to intensify the protest,” they said.
Activists block roads in West Bengal
Earlier in the day, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) activists blocked roads and took out rallies in various parts of West Bengal, as part of its 12-hour general strike to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run hospital here.
Carrying flags and posters, the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) activists criticised the state government over its "failure" to ensure the safety and security of doctors.
"The vandalism that took place inside the RG Kar hospital proves that the state government is yet to learn its lessons from the murder of the woman doctor," an SUCI-C leader said.
The emergency ward, nursing station, medicine store and parts of the outpatient department of the hospital were vandalised by miscreants on Thursday amid midnight protests by women across West Bengal, condemning the horrific rape-murder of the postgraduate trainee in the hospital's seminar hall on August 9.
The TMC-led state government, which has opposed the strike call, has taken up several measures to ensure that normal life is not affected.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday asserted that her government does not support strikes.
FORDA to continue strike
Meanwhile, a resident doctors' federation announced to continue its protest here over the alleged rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, a day after medics slammed it for calling off the agitation following the health ministry's "verbal" assurance to meet its demands, including bringing a law to curb attacks on medical personnel.
Resident doctors across major government hospitals in Delhi, including AIIMS, VMMC-Safdarjung Hospital and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, shut down elective services on Monday morning and went on strike, demanding better security and safety measures for medical personnel, and the central law.
The announcement by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA) came after Resident Doctors' Associations (RDAs) of many hospitals on Wednesday accused it of taking the decision to end the protest without consulting them and "backstabbing" the medical fraternity.
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