After R G Kar firestorm, why Mamata govt remains at odds with junior doctors

Dr Chatterjee is 1 of the 12 MMCH doctors, including the aesculapian superintendent and six postgraduate trainee doctors, who were suspended pursuing the decease of a parent of a new-born there. The determination was taken by Mamata herself, who besides clasp the wellness portfolio too the location ministry, connected January 16 for “clear cases of aesculapian negligence” arsenic per a study submitted by the CID and a squad of authorities experts. The CM besides asked the CID to probe the transgression lawsuit against the suspended doctors pursuing which it filed an FIR successful the matter.

On Thursday, the Joint Platform of Doctors — a assemblage of inferior doctors, which was astatine the forefront of the protests against the murder-and-rape of a trainee doc astatine the state-run R G Kar Hospital successful Kolkata connected August 9, 2024 — wrote to authorities main caput Manoj Pant to request contiguous withdrawal of “loathsome and atrocious administrative overaction (both from wellness section arsenic good arsenic police)” against the MMCH doctors successful the saline row.

Another doctors’ assemblage has raised questions astir authorities allegedly trying to displacement the blasted to the MMCH doctors to make “distraction” from the contented of the “expired saline”.

“It is highly unfortunate connected the portion of the authorities to blasted inferior doctors successful the saline case. Action against inferior doctors are not lone vindictive but besides aimed astatine diverting attraction from the existent issue,” said caput of the Association of Health Service Doctors, Dr Manas Gumta.

Last Thursday, the Bidhannagar constabulary searched the location of Dr Asfaqullah Naiya – 1 of the salient faces of the R G Kar question – astatine Kakdwip successful South 24 Parganas aft receiving a ailment that helium was allegedly doing a backstage signifier arsenic an ENT surgeon contempt presently being a postgraduate trainee successful the ENT section astatine the RG Kar Hospital.

The Midnapore Medical College and Hospital has seen protests successful caller weeks implicit enactment taken against doctors aft the decease of a parent of a new-born there. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)

The Bengal Medical Council has besides issued a show-cause announcement to Naiya who has besides been interrogated by the police. On Wednesday, however, the High Court has ordered a six-week enactment connected the probe against him.

Naiya has rejected the charges against him, calling them the authorities government’s “vindictive action” successful retaliation to his information successful the R G Kar agitation.

The R G Kar murder-and-rape outrage convulsed Bengal, mounting disconnected statewide protests with inferior doctors starring the civilian society’s question to question justness for the victim. They besides alleged assorted irregularities successful the medication of the hospitals connected the ticker of the TMC, seeking assorted reforms successful the wellness sector.

The R G Kar protests continued for months, affecting the functioning of galore authorities hospitals crossed the state. It not lone enactment the TMC connected the backmost foot, but was besides seen arsenic a nonaccomplishment of look for Mamata. It besides gave ammunition to the Opposition parties similar the BJP and the Left to occurrence salvos astatine the Mamata dispensation.

However, the TMC managed to upwind the tempest and went connected to triumph each six Assembly seats successful the bypolls held crossed the authorities successful November past year.

The TMC has present besides claimed to person been “vindicated” successful the R G Kar lawsuit with a Kolkata tribunal connected January 20 sentencing its prime accused Sanjoy Roy to beingness imprisonment.

The inferior doctors expressed dissatisfaction implicit the court’s verdict, citing “unresolved” questions and a deficiency of enactment against different imaginable suspects portion holding that they would proceed their combat for justice.

Barely a time aft the proceedings court’s verdict, the state authorities challenged it successful the precocious court aft Mamata announced that her authorities wanted decease penalty.

Observers accidental that aft reeling nether sustained unit from the inferior doctors’ R G Kar disturbance — which forced her to region past Kolkata constabulary commissioner Vineet Goyal and 2 apical wellness section officials — Mamata has seized connected the MMCH decease lawsuit to “turn the tables” connected them.

Both the BJP and the CPM slammed the TMC authorities implicit the caller rows.

BJP MP and spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya alleged: “The wellness strategy has collapsed successful Bengal. The authorities government’s warfare outcry against a conception of doctors comes from a consciousness of intolerance, helplessness and vindictiveness. They privation to shirk disconnected their responsibility. The saline, which was banned from production, continued to beryllium utilized successful state-run hospitals. But aft a woman’s tragic death, each blasted was enactment connected a conception of doctors.”

CPM cardinal committee subordinate Sujan Chakraborty said, “Instead of targeting doctors and inferior doctors, wherefore nary probe against the wellness department? What is the request of raiding the location of a inferior doc who was the look of RG Kar protests? To displacement the blasted and prevention those responsible? The authorities authorities has hurriedly appealed for decease punishment of the convict truthful that the information ne'er comes out.”

Rejecting specified charges, TMC spokesperson Jayprakash Majumder said, “It’s a story that doctors are against government. That is not true. Some ultra near organisations and CPM wanted to make anarchy (over saline row) and BJP gave them help, but it failed.”