In summary,
- The government of Bengal has reassigned 42 doctors and professors employed within the state
- This decision occurs in the context of widespread protests across the nation regarding the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.
- Medical associations and the Bharatiya Janata Party have criticized the extensive reorganization of medical personnel and academic staff.
A significant controversy arose following the West Bengal government’s decision to transfer 42 professors and medical professionals from various medical colleges and hospitals throughout the state. This action took place amidst ongoing protests regarding the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Included in the group of 42 individuals transferred are two doctors, Dr. Sangeeta Paul and Dr. Supriya Das, who were affiliated with RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the location where the semi-naked body of the trainee doctor was discovered on August 9. The state health department has yet to provide an explanation for their transfer.
The extensive reorganization undertaken by the state government has provoked a strong reaction from the medical associations and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which have labeled it a conspiracy and an effort to intimidate senior healthcare practitioners.
The United Doctors Front Association has issued a strong condemnation of the unjust transfer of faculty members who supported their protest, directed at @MamataOfficial and @BengalGovernor. They assert that such punitive actions will not deter their pursuit of justice and security. The association emphasizes their unity and determination in this struggle.
This statement follows the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) announcement of a 24-hour nationwide cease-work protest, which will suspend most health services from Saturday at 6 am to Sunday at 6 am, in response to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor and to advocate for better working conditions for medical professionals. In reaction to the transfer orders, Dr. Kinjal Nanda, a protesting physician, expressed confusion regarding the necessity of these actions during ongoing protests against the horrific incident.
“Senior professors and doctors have been reassigned. Those who stood in solidarity with our protest have faced transfers. We have voiced our opposition to this decision. The motives behind this action remain unclear. The senior professors who supported us came from various universities,” Dr. Nanda stated.
“We have reviewed the notification. Dr. Sangeeta Paul was among those who supported us. However, the reasons for their transfer are not apparent to us. We are raising our voices and demanding justice,” the doctor concluded.
BJP SLAMS DOCTORS’ TRANSFER ORDERS
Amit Malviya, the head of the BJP IT cell, criticized the transfer orders affecting doctors and professors, alleging that the West Bengal government is engaging in a “desperate attempt to intimidate the senior medical community into compliance.”
On August 16, the Health Ministry of the West Bengal government released an extensive eight-page document detailing transfer orders, further complicating an already tumultuous situation. According to Malviya, the focus of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appears to be on Medical College Kolkata and Calcutta National Medical College, which have become the focal points of protests against her authoritarian governance.
He noted that, to date, five professors from these esteemed institutions have been reassigned to colleges in Siliguri, Tamluk, Jhargram, and other locations. This move is perceived as a desperate strategy to intimidate the senior medical community into compliance. Malviya questioned, “What is Mamata Banerjee attempting to conceal?”
ABOUT KOLKATA TRAINEE DOCTOR’S RAPE-MURDER
A civic volunteer associated with Kolkata Police, Sanjoy Roy, has been apprehended in relation to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, who was pursuing her second year of postgraduate studies at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The victim’s remains were discovered in a seminar room within the hospital premises.
According to the postmortem report, the trainee doctor was both sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The autopsy indicated that her thyroid cartilage had been fractured due to the strangulation, and a severe injury was noted in her genital area. Additionally, the report detailed various injury marks on her abdomen, lips, fingers, face, and left leg.
This heinous act has incited widespread indignation, with medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, spearheading protests in Kolkata and across the nation, advocating for the death penalty for the perpetrator and calling for enhanced security measures for healthcare workers.
The Calcutta High Court has transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further examination.
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