LIVE | Kolkata horror: SC forms task force for doctors’ safety; medics to continue stir
Top court forms task force to make recommendations pertaining to safety, working conditions, and wellbeing of medical professionals; urges protesting doctors to resume work
Amid spiralling nation-wide protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 20) ordered the formation of a 10-member National Task Force (NTF) to formulate a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of doctors and other health care professionals.
Treat protesters with sensitivity: SC tells govt
Terming the incident as "horrific", the apex court excoriated the state government over the delay in filing the FIR and allowing thousands of miscreants to vandalise the state-run facility.
It also asked the West Bengal government to not unleash the "power of the State" on peaceful protesters and to deal with them with "great sensitivity in this moment of national catharsis".
The 10-member task force headed by Vice Admiral Arti Sarin has been asked to submit its interim report within three weeks.
CBI asked to submit status report
The Supreme Court, which directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit a status report on the progress made in its investigation into the killing, also asked the state government to submit a report on the action it has taken against the vandals.
The court also expressed its deep concern over the name of the victim, her photographs and video clips showing her lifeless body having been splashed all over the media.
Taking a serious note of mob violence in the hospital and the allegation that the Kolkata police fled the scene, the top court ordered deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the hospital to enable doctors to resume work.
SC raps state govt, college
"In the aftermath of the brutal incident and the demonstrations which followed, the state government was expected to ensure the deployment of the state machinery to prevent a breach of law and order.
"It was all the more necessary to do so since investigation of the crime which took place in the precincts of the hospital was under way. We are unable to comprehend how the State was not prepared to deal with the incident of vandalisation of the premises of the hospital," the top court said.
The bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud criticised the ex-principal of RG Kar Medical College Dr Sandip Ghosh for trying to pass off the case as that of suicide and not letting the parents of the deceased to see her body for several hours.
"What was the principal doing? Why was this inaction to first pass this as suicide and not registering an FIR. Body is handed to the parents for cremation late in the night. On the next day, the doctors are on protest and a mob assembles at the hospital.
Incident raises systemic issues on safety of docs: SC
"The hospital is invaded and critical facilities are damaged. What was the police doing? A serious offence has taken place and the crime scene is within the hospital. The police should have protected the crime scene. How can the police allow vandals to enter the hospital. After the principal resigned, he is sent to another hospital. When his conduct was under scrutiny, how was he appointed to another college immediately," the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, observed.
The bench said what has taken place in Kolkata is not just a horrific murder but an incident which has raised systemic issues about the safety of doctors.
"We are deeply concerned that there is a virtual absence of safe work conditions across the country, particularly in public hospitals. Most of the young doctors have to put in 36 hours of work.
"We find that there are no duty rooms available, or separate restrooms for men and women doctors and nursing staff. We must evolve a national consensus that there must be a national standard protocol so that safe work conditions are provided," the bench said.
If women cannot go to their place of work safely, then we are denying them equality, the apex court said.
State’s defence
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, refuted the observations and submitted that Kolkata police took all necessary action. He said he will place on record all the facts.
"Photos and videos were circulated before the police reached the crime scene. We didn't allow anything to happen and cordoned off the area. Inquest was done and a case of unnatural death was registered immediately. We caught the culprit who was a civic worker. This is not adversarial litigation," Sibal told the court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said a mob of 7,000 people could not have assembled at the hospital without the knowledge and consent of the police.
"Let West Bengal government not be in denial mode, there is complete failure of law and order in the state. A girl has lost her life due to a sexual pervert and an animal," Mehta said.
Sibal said over 50 FIRs have been registered following the vandalism incident and 37 people have already been arrested.
The top court asked the West Bengal government to not take coercive action against people holding peaceful protests and speaking up on social media.
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Live Updates
- 20 Aug 2024 8:19 PM IST
'Is nyay for beti a distraction': BJP flays Rahul for evading queries on Kolkata rape-murder
The BJP slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for evading queries on the rape-and-murder case and said his refusal to comment on the issue is an “insult to the victim and all women”.
Rahul was in Rae Bareli to meet the family of a 22-year-old Dalit man, who was shot dead in Salon area in the district when he was asked for his comment on the Kolkata medic rape-and-murder case.
The Congress leader evaded media queries on the issue and said that he would speak on the matter in future as he does not want to be distracted from the issue of the murder of a Dalit youth whose family he met here.
Reacting sharply, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said in a post on X, “When asked about RG Kar medical case and SC slamming Bengal government and police, Rahul Gandhi shamelessly says: ‘I won’t be distracted’”.
He also posted on X a video clip of Rahul's response to media persons’ queries in Uttar Pradesh and asked, “Is Nyay for Beti (justice for daughter) a distraction?”.
“Those who speak about Sanvidhan, about Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon and visit victims’ homes in UP call a grave injustice a distraction because it happened in Bengal,” Poonawalla charged.
BJP co in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya also flayed Rahul for his response, calling him "shameless and a spineless creature".
"Shameless Rahul Gandhi calls the brutal rape and murder of the young lady doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, which has the whole country agitated, a distraction," he charged.
"Such a spineless creature is aspiring to be the Prime Minister of India. Never," Malviya said.
When asked about RG Kar medical case & SC slamming Bengal govt & police
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) August 20, 2024
Rahul Gandhi shamelessly says
“I won’t be distracted”
Is Nyay for Beti a distraction?
Those who speak about Sanvidhan, about Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon & visit victims homes in UP call a grave injustice… pic.twitter.com/slfSuqvGdH - 20 Aug 2024 8:15 PM IST
Governor to intervene after family complains of not getting FIR copy
The parents of the woman doctor, who was raped and murdered in a Kolkata hospital, on Tuesday complained to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose that they did not receive a copy of the FIR.
Bose, who spoke to her parents twice over the phone during the day, assured them that he would look into the matter.
The governor first spoke to the father of the deceased post-graduate trainee and said that the entire country is standing by them.
Bose, while talking to the father, enquired about her mother's health condition and told him that he would be visiting their residence in Sodepur near Kolkata at their convenience.
"We all are with you. You will get justice. Today I am in Delhi, I held discussions in detail about the matter. I will go to your residence as per your convenience," Bose was seen telling the father in a video message released by his office.
In New Delhi, Bose met President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Later, the governor reached Cuttack in the evening and spoke to her mother on a video call.
During the conversation, the parents complained to Bose about not being provided with copies of the FIR lodged in connection with the daughter's murder.
"The governor assured them that he will take action into the matter," a Raj Bhavan source said.
- 20 Aug 2024 8:00 PM IST
Delhi bar association condemns rape-murder
The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has condemned the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The executive committee of DHCBA has unanimously called for stringent action against the perpetrators of the crime and have called for measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Members of the association will wear white ribbon bands on August 21 in solidarity and to honour the victim and her family, DHCBA said in a statement.
- 20 Aug 2024 7:44 PM IST
SC did not say police did not protect college premises, it said police could not: TMC leader
The overall interim order of Supreme Court is based on scientific observation and the need of the day... Supreme Court did not say that police did not protect RG Kar Medical College, they said that the police could not protect it. At 12 in the night when the congregation of women from all walks of life assembled peacefully and demanded justice for the victim, the police could not protect RG Kar at that point in time, and that’s a fact: TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar
- 20 Aug 2024 7:41 PM IST
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: RJD women's wing held a candle march to show solidarity with the victim of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident. pic.twitter.com/44HmvhSFNt
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024 - 20 Aug 2024 7:30 PM IST
Will work with SC-appointed panel, central act on violence non-negotiable: IMA
Welcoming the Supreme Court's intervention to stop attacks on medical professionals, the IMA, in an internal communication, said on Tuesday it will work with the committee appointed by the court on safety, security and other related matters, while asserting that a "central Act on violence is non-negotiable".
An internal communication sent to all the state presidents and secretaries and local branch presidents and secretaries by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) leadership said a central law on violence is non-negotiable and that the Centre is competent to take an appropriate decision in this regard.
"A central Act against violence is a policy matter. An ordinance in this regard is the demand of the IMA," it said.
The communication also said the IMA headquarters is studying the statement issued by the health ministry in this regard.
The IMA headquarters has directed all its local branches to meet with their MPs and give them a copy of the memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 17 mentioning their demands.
It directed all the state branches to coordinate this activity and file detailed completion reports in three days.
"The 2019 draft Bill incorporating the 2020 amendments in the Epidemic Diseases Act is the minimum acceptable law. The Code Grey of the Kerala government to be incorporated. The responsibility and punishment of the investigating officer has to be similar to the POCSO Act," the communication stated.
The state branches of the IMA have also been directed to connect with the resident doctors' associations (RDAs) in their states and have a consultation meeting.
- 20 Aug 2024 7:10 PM IST
#WATCH | Telangana: Resident doctors from the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) and Gandhi Junior Doctors Association (Gandhi JUDA) staged a protest demanding justice into the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-death case in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/jRFt59euQ9
— ANI (@ANI) August 20, 2024
