The Supreme Court on Thursday again appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work. On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, which has led to nationwide strikes and protests by the medical fraternity.
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by AIIMS Resident Doctors Nagpur which mentioned that on account of their protest, they are now being attacked. They are not being allowed for exams
CJI said, "If they are on duty they will not be marked absent and if they are not on duty then the law will be followed. Ask them to first return to work.. no one will take adverse action against any doctor.. if there is difficulty after that then come to us.. but let them first report to work."
PGI Chandigarh doctors also said that they are being victimised. They rally for one hour in the morning and then they work. But they are also victimised... their casual leaves are being deducted. CJI said, "Once they get back to duty we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action, else how will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work."
The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests. The medic's body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital's chest department on August 9. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day. On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
