At Least 43 West Bengal Doctors Resign As Mamata Government Remains Silent

As protests in solidarity with the junior doctors in West Bengal spread across the country, 16 doctors of the RG Kar Medical Hospital In Kolkata and 27 doctors of the North Bengal Medical College & Hospital, Darjeeling resigned over the attacks on doctors in the state, reported ANI. 

The senior doctors in the RG Kar Medical Hospital said in their resignation letter that “in the present situation” was not “ideal for patient care” and hence they wanted to resign. 

The strike by doctors in West Bengal entered the fourth day on Friday. Junior doctors have been on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Doctors from across India joined the protests on Friday after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for nation wide support for the doctors in West Bengal. 

While the IMA has demanded a Central law against doctors being attacked, the doctors in Bengal have demanded the perpetrators of the crime be arrested. 

This came after chief minister Mamata Banerjee threatened the doctors of dire consequences if they did not call of the strikes. Not only did the strike continue, now they have found support from across the country. 

Meanwhile, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said  the government was concerned about their safety and assured action. 

He, however, blamed Banerjee and claimed it was her diktat that stoked more protests. “I appeal to West Bengal CM to not make this an issue of prestige. She gave the doctors an ultimatum, as a result they got angry and went on strike. Today, I will write to Mamata Banerjee ji and will also try to speak to her on this issue,” he said.

The state BJP had blamed the TMC for the attack itself. BJP leader Mukul Roy made communal statements saying it was people of a certain community who carried out the attacks. 

The attack took place after Md Sayeed, a 75-year-old resident of Tangra, died after a heart attack in front of his family. His family reportedly threatened the junior doctors on duty and then a mob of 200 people arrived in trucks and attacked the doctors.