West Bengal: Junior doctors resume 'total cease work' demanding security at hospitals

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal resumed their indefinite "total cease work" on Tuesday (October 1) to press the state government on various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments.

The junior doctors had on September 21 rejoined their duties partially at government hospitals after a 42-day protest.

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Assault on doctors and nurses

However, three doctors and three nurses were assaulted following the death of a patient at the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital near Kolkata on Friday night (September 27).

The medics alleged that the attacks at the state-run hospital have shown that the state government has “totally failed” to deliver on promises to provide them security.

"We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfil our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day (of the protest) and we are still being attacked and there is no attempt to keep the other promises made during the meetings with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In the given situation, we are left with no option other than opting for full cease work, starting today," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI.

"Unless we see clear action from the state government on these demands, this complete cease work will continue," he added.

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List of 10 demands

The junior doctors made the decision after a meeting that lasted for 8 hours. They have come up with a list of 10 demands that include strengthening the security in hospitals, putting an end to the culture of threat and politics in their work place, improving the health infrastructure.

“We are compelled to return to a full ceasework starting from today. Unless we receive clear action from the government on safety, patient services, and the politics of fear, we will have no choice but to continue our full strike,” the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said in a statement that was posted on X.

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Calcutta HC allows peaceful rally

The announcement of resumption of total cease work from the junior doctors was made a day after the Calcutta High Court gave permission to the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) to hold a rally in Kolkata to protest against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in RG Kar Hospital on August 9.

Justice Bharadwaj gave a ruling that a peaceful rally be conducted between 5 pm and 8 pm from College Square in north Kolkata to Rabindra Sadan in the south. The court overrode objections from the Kolkata Police and did not lay any restrictions on the number of participants and the length of the rally route.

The court directed the police to make sure there were adequate security measures to ensure a peaceful rally, and also told the rally organisers to arrange for sufficient volunteers to manage their supporters.

(With agency inputs)