The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal is leaving no stone unturned to persecute junior doctors, who led protests against the gruesome rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, reported The Indian Express.
For the unversed, a 31-year-old junior doctor (name withheld) was raped and murdered at the institution by a ‘civic volunteer’ of Kolkata police on 9th August 2024. The perpetrator was identified as Sanjay Roy.
The initial attempt at coverup by the college principal, Sandip Ghosh, coupled with the fact that a woman was assaulted and killed at her workplace, triggered mass protests against the Mamata government for over 6 weeks.
It has now been a year since the heinous crime. According to The Indian Express, the junior doctors who carried out demonstrations to ensure justice to the victim are now faced with legal, financial and professional troubles.
Doctors, who became the face of the protests, including Aniket Mahato, Ashfaqulla Naiya, Kinjal Nanda, and Debashis Halder, are now left to deal with undue transfer, court cases and police FIRs.
Some of them were recently summoned by the police. The Mamata government transferred Aniket Mahato, Ashfaqulla Naiya and and Debashis Halder in a ‘punitive and retaliatory’ manner to new hospital facilities.
This was despite the fact that they were previously transferred just 3 months earlier. The cases challenging the transfer are now pending before the Calcutta High Court.
The Mamata government has attempted to rationalise the punitive action as ‘routine move’, unrelated to the RG Kar protests.
Besides transfers, several junior doctors have been booked for ‘causing grievous hurt to police personnel’ and ‘unlawful assembly.’
The police had previously raided the residence of Dr Ashfaqulla Naiya after a complaint was filed over his degree.
The West Bengal Medical Council sought details from RG Kar Medical College Hospital about another protesting doctor, identified as Kinjal Nanda, regarding his allowance and service hours.
It also inquired whether Nanda took permission from the institution before acting in films.
Meanwhile, Dr Aniket Mahato has not received his salary for several months as his case challenging transfer to North Dinajpur is pending before the court.
He told The Indian Express, “Legally, we are fighting the notices. Over the last year, we have faced many difficulties. I haven’t been able to practise medicine. I am sitting idle, not drawing a salary. Since April, I have been off duty… This has also affected me mentally.”
“We had no intention to jump into politics. But I am firm that I will continue my fight against injustice. My family has never pressured me, but they have been concerned,” he emphasised.
Junior doctors, who carried out protests demanding justice for the RG Kar victim, are miffed that their demands to ensure the safety and security of health professionals have not been met.
These include creation of a central referral system and filling of vacancies. The protesting doctors have raised concerns about plausible evidence tampering and the involvement of more than one perpetrator in the rape and murder case.
While a Sealdah court had convicted Sanjay Roy of the heinous crime in January this year, questions remain about the police investigation in the sensational case and the vindictive attitude of the Mamata government.