Protesting doctors defy SC directive, spurn CM's offer

Junior doctors who are agitating for justice after the brutal rape and murder of a train doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ignored the Supreme Court's direction to join duties by 5 pm on Tuesday, stating that they would carry on with their cease work till their demands are met.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

Thousands of young doctors, accompanied by a section of the general public, marched to Swasthya Bhavan, the State Health Department headquarters, and settled down in dharna less than 100 metres from the gates after the huge police contingent put up barricades to stop them from proceeding further. They resolved to sit in indefinite dharna till such time that their demands are met.

Replicating the symbolism of carrying a model spine to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar last week, the protesting doctors held aloft brooms and even showcased a model brain and eyes while marching towards the West Bengal health department headquarters in Sector 5 of Salt Lake, in their bid to "clean up" the State health sector and make the top echelons "see and think" about the plight of the doctors.

The protesters had set a deadline of 5 pm for the State Government to accept their charter of five demands which includes the resignation of the Kolkata Police Commissioner, State Health Secretary, Director of Medical Education (DME), and Director of Health Services (DHS), failing which they said they would stage a sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhawan.

The deadline coincided with the Supreme Court's time limit to the agitating doctors to resume their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday to avoid adverse action from the State Government.