R G Kar case: Two more doctors join fast-unto-death, private hospital medics call for 'partial cease work'

Kolkata: Another junior doctor observing fast-unto-death in protest over the R G Kar hospital incident was admitted to a healthcare facility on Saturday after his condition deteriorated, while medics of private hospitals called for a 48-hour “partial cease work” from Monday in solidarity with their colleagues.

Alok Varma from the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital became the second medic to be hospitalised, after Aniket Mahato was admitted to the ICU of R G Kar hospital three days back.

Meanwhile, Parichoy Panda from the Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan and Alolika Ghorui from Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital joined the protest on Saturday, taking the total number of medics on indefinite fast across the state to 11.

In the evening, police released nine young men arrested from near a Durga puja pandal here, while raising slogans seeking justice for the R G Kar hospital medic, who was raped and murdered at the state-run health facility in August, after they were granted bail by the Calcutta High Court on Friday.

Fellow medics said that the condition of the fasting doctors have worsened, maintaining that their health parameters are "declining." They have been on a hunger strike since October 5.

Dr Debasish Halder, one of the protesting doctors, said, "They are very weak and all their parameters are declining. The presence of creatinine in their urine has increased. Seven days of fasting is definitely taking a toll on their health, but it hasn’t weakened their resolve for justice."

The health condition of Mahato remained “critical but stable”.

Two fasting junior doctors also alleged that police have been exerting pressure on their family members to persuade them to withdraw from the hunger strike.

Senior police officials, however, declined to comment on the matter.

On Friday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene before the situation escalates.

The ongoing agitation also prompted the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) to warn of a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" if any harm is caused to the protesting junior doctors.

The agitators have been demanding justice for the RG Kar hospital victim, immediate removal of Health Secretary N S Nigam and workplace security, among other measures.

Meanwhile, thousands of of protesters, comprising doctors, lawyers and members of civil society marched to the CBI office in the CGO complex in Salt Lake on Saturday afternoon, demanding fair and speedy justice in the R G Kar hospital incident.

The central agency is probing the rape-murder of the young medic.

Later, five representatives from among the protesters were allowed to go inside the CBI office to submit a memorandum of demands.

Earlier on Saturday, doctors of private hospitals called for a 48-hour “partial cease work” from October 14 in medical establishments across West Bengal, in solidarity with the agitating junior medics observing a fast-unto-death.

The doctors, under the banner of Healthcare Professionals of Private Hospitals, however, said emergency services in all medical facilities will remain operational.

"From October 14 onwards, majority of doctors of private set-ups will not perform any non-emergency duties," the medics told reporters here.

"But, we will make sure no patient suffers due to this, as all emergency services will be kept operational," they said.

Meanwhile, 38 doctors of Arambagh Medical College and Hospital decided to go for mass resignation to express solidarity with their junior counterparts, an official said.

The state government clarified on Saturday that mass resignation of doctors of state-run hospitals was not an acceptable form of putting in papers, and it has to be done individually as per service rules.

Several doctors of state-run hospitals have sent collectively signed "resignation" letters from service to the government, seeking justice for the medic raped and murdered at R G Kar hospital.

"Unless an employee sends in his/her resignation personally to the employer as per service rules, it is not a resignation letter," Alapan Bandyopadhyay, Chief Advisor to the CM, told reporters at the state secretariat here.

Bandopadhyay said the state government wanted to clarify this in order to dispel any confusion with regard to the purported mass resignation by senior doctors of different hospitals, including R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital.

The Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal, has also called for a protest carnival on October 15 at Esplanade.

The date coincides with the West Bengal government-organised carnival on Red Road, situated nearby, where prominent Durga Puja idols and decorations are showcased through processions and cultural events.