GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 14th Oct. The indefinite hunger strike by junior doctors in West Bengal entered its 10th day on Monday, with no breakthrough after a crucial meeting between representatives from 12 doctors’ associations and Chief Secretary Manoj Pant at Swasthya Bhavan. The discussions ended without a clear resolution, even as two more doctors participating in the ‘fast-unto-death’ fell ill, escalating tensions.
The strike, initiated on October 5, follows nearly 50 days of phased ‘cease work’ protests, triggered by the alleged rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The doctors had sought a timeline for addressing their demands, but the government remained noncommittal on specific deadlines.
Seven junior doctors remain on hunger strike, with some requiring urgent medical care. Among them, Pulastha Acharya from NRS Medical College was admitted to the Critical Care Unit (CCU) on Sunday night, while Tanya Panja from Kolkata Medical College showed deteriorating health on Monday and remains under observation.
The junior doctors’ key demands include justice for the RG Kar Hospital victim, the removal of Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, improved workplace security, and infrastructure upgrades such as a centralised referral system and proper hospital facilities. They are also calling for a swift CBI probe into the alleged crime.
Chief Secretary Pant addressed the media, stating that seven of the doctors’ demands had been met, while the remaining three required further consideration. He urged the protesting doctors to end the hunger strike, citing concerns for their health. However, Dr. Kaushik Chaki, president of the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum, called the meeting “unproductive” and reiterated the need for direct engagement with senior officials.
Amid the stalemate, the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) announced a planned demonstration, the ‘Droher Carnival,’ on October 15 in solidarity with the agitating doctors. The state government, however, expressed concerns over its timing, as it coincides with the annual ‘Durga Puja Carnival.’
The protest has drawn sharp reactions from political leaders. Senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee criticized the doctors’ hunger strike, suggesting it was more about seeking media attention than a genuine protest, which he labeled as a “fast-unto-hospitalisation.” In contrast, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari called for a boycott of the TMC’s ‘Durga Puja Carnival’ as a show of solidarity with the doctors.
As the standoff continues, the situation remains tense with no immediate solution in sight, while the health of the protesting doctors remains a growing concern.
