New Delhi: Senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday criticised junior doctors in West Bengal for their ongoing strike, calling them “inhumane and unfit to become doctors.” The MP urged the state government to ensure that they are not allowed to appear for their final exams.
The Trinamool Congress leader’s outburst came after agitating junior doctors, even after reaching the gates of the state secretariat Nabanna, refused to hold talks with the state government unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse was met.
The strike, which has been ongoing since August 9, started after the body of an on-duty post-graduate trainee was found at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. She was reportedly raped and murdered. The junior doctors have demanded justice for the deceased, along with increased security for women health professionals and the suspension of certain officials for allegedly mishandling the case.
Kalyan Banerjee said, “Those doctors, who are agitating for the last month, putting the lives of lakhs of patients at stake, do not deserve to be a doctor. They are unfit to become doctors. I failed to understand how these medics behave so inhumanly. I would urge the state government to ensure that these junior doctors who have been protesting are not allowed to appear for their final exams.”
The MP held the agitating doctors responsible for the deaths of 27 patients in state-run hospitals, questioning whether the protesting doctors would take responsibility for these deaths. He called for a proper investigation into the claims that the patients received proper treatment.
Kalyan Banerjee participated in a rally in his constituency, protesting against the patients’ deaths due to the alleged lack of treatment following the cease work by the junior doctors.
He posted on X, “I took part in a mass rally organised by “Bongo Jagoron Mancha” in protest against the reactionary forces that have plunged Bengal into chaos. The rally called for a swift trial for the doctors who were wronged at RG Kar Hospital and demanded accountability for those responsible for the death of Vikram from Konnagar, who passed away due to inadequate treatment.”
The Kolkata Police arrested a civic volunteer a day after the woman doctor’s body was found, and the CBI is now probing the case following a Calcutta high court order.
