Kolkata: Medicos across India have intensified the protest over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata-based R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital prompting the college principal to resign from the post. On Monday morning, Dr Sandip Ghosh, the principal of Kolkata-based R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital announced his resignation appealing to the protesting medical students and house-staff to withdraw their demonstrations and resume work.
The medical students and house staff had been demanding Ghosh’s resignation on moral grounds over the alleged rape and murder of the woman house staff and second-year post-graduate student of the medical college last week.
“My resignation was the desire of the students. In fact, the entire state was demanding my resignation. I hope that the medical students and junior doctors will now resume their normal operations. For the last few days, my family and I have been subjected to various adverse comments. So I decided to resign,” said Ghosh on Monday morning. He claimed that he had been a victim of a political conspiracy drafted by his rival group. “I had never been a part of any kind of political game. As a government servant, I will perform my duty till the end,” Ghosh said.
However, the protesters are adamant about continuing with their agitation until their demands are met. According to them, a mere verbal announcement of the resignation by the principal will not suffice and he will have to tender the same in writing.
“The resignation of the principal was just one of our demands, already the Resident Doctors’ Association has released their four-point demand in the matter and we will continue with our agitation and cease work till our demands are fulfilled,” said a protesting house staff of the hospital. The protesting doctors also said that they still believe that the alleged rape and murder of the victim was not the handiwork of one individual and there were associates in that crime. Police have arrested a civic volunteer, Sanjay Ray, in connection with the murder. On Sunday, the state health department announced the replacement of the erstwhile medical superintendent and vice-principal of the college, Dr Sanjay Vashisth.
Meanwhile, 10 government hospitals in Delhi have begun an indefinite strike, halting all elective services on Monday, in response to the recent rape and murder of a resident doctor in Kolkata.
The Maulana Azad Medical College, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, GTB, IHBAS, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College, and National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases Hospital are participating in the strike, which began at 9 am, according to a statement by the Resident Doctors' Associations (RDA).
According to the RDA, during the indefinite strike, all outpatient departments (OPDs), operation theatres (OTs), and ward duties will be shut, but emergency services will continue to operate as usual, ensuring that urgent patient care remains unaffected.
The move comes in response to a call from the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA).
"As a mark of solidarity with our colleagues at RG Kar, we announce a nationwide suspension of elective services in hospitals starting Monday, August 12. This decision is not made lightly but is necessary to ensure that our voices are heard and that the demands for justice and safety are addressed without further delay," the statement read.
(With inputs from IANS, PTI)