Doctors Across India Protest for Justice for Kolkata Doctor

New Delhi, India – Doctors and medical students all over India are protesting to demand justice for a woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Protests in New Delhi

Junior doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and RML Hospital in New Delhi staged protests, chanting slogans like ‘We want justice’. Dr. Akash from RML Hospital urged doctors and the public to gather at Nirman Bhawan to peacefully present their demands to the government.

‘I appeal to all doctors and common people to reach Nirman Bhawan in large numbers so that we can peacefully put forward our issues in front of the government and seek justice for our colleague from Bengal who lost her life to this barbaric and gruesome act. We also want to tell our friends protesting in Bengal that they are not alone in this fight, all doctors across the country stand in solidarity with them… We demand a Central Protection Act from the government. Our protest will continue till we do not get assurance from the government that concrete steps will be taken,’ said Dr. Akash.

Protests in Amritsar

The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College in Amritsar, Punjab, has suspended all non-essential and elective hospital services, including Out Patient Departments, Operating Theaters, and wards, starting August 16 until further notice. Protests are also taking place outside Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar.

Protests in Kerala

The Kerala Medical Postgraduates Association (KMPGA) and other medical associations have called for a 24-hour strike. Medical, dental, and paramedical students are holding silent protests at Nair Hospital, demanding safer environments in government medical colleges and hospitals.

Protests in Tamil Nadu

Doctors at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, are protesting by wearing black badges. Dr. Aruleeswaran from the Trichy Doctors Association emphasized the need for a proper inquiry and two-tier security for medical professionals.

‘To condemn the death of the female doctor at RG Kar Medical Hospital and College and to further ensure the safety of the medical personnel, we are holding this protest. We request the central government to conduct an enquiry in a proper way and punish the criminals as soon as possible. The medical professionals must be provided with two-tier security this will also encourage more students to opt for medicines,’ said Dr. Aruleeswaran.

General Strike in Siliguri

The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) has called for a 12-hour general strike in Siliguri, disrupting normal life. Dr. Shahriar Alam from SUCI (Communist) noted the significant impact of the strike, with most shops closed and vehicles off the roads.

‘Today this strike has a huge impact. People have spontaneously responded to our call and throughout Siliguri like the Medical College area, people have not taken out their vehicles, and they have not opened the shops. We can say that the impact is very good. We have called this strike to protest against the heinous incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital,’ said Dr. Shahriar Alam.