Junior doctors, healthcare workers, civic organisations, and common citizens will be marching in a rally today, December 6, in Kolkata to demand accountability and reforms in Bengal’s healthcare system. The rally will begin at 3 pm in front of the West Bengal Medical Council in Kolkata, from where participants will meet and march to Swasthya Bhavan in Salt Lake, aka Bidhannagar.

It is being organised by the West Bengal Junior Doctors Federation (WBJDF), reported The Telegraph.

The incident of rape and murder of a postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has exposed the deep-rooted corruption and malpractice within the system. Although arrests were made, including that of former RG Kar principal Dr Sandip Ghosh and a civic volunteer with Kolkata police, the doctors feel the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe has been stalled.

The recent reinstatement of Abhik Dey and Virupaksha Biswas to positions in the Medical Council is another reason for the rally. The protesting doctors demand an explanation from the health minister, who happens to be Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the Medical Council regarding these decisions.

Speaking about today's rally, a junior resident doctor of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital Dr Sk Mehebub Hossain said, “The objective of today’s rally is crisp and clear.”

“We are very much disheartened to see the people accused of promoting threat culture are attending the West Bengal Medical Council meetings again. Even though the committee made by Swasthya Bhawan found them guilty of so many charges. In such a scenario, we won't be surprised even if we see Mr Sandip Ghosh coming back to RG Kar again," he said.

Further, he added that the role of the CBI and the Central government is also very much questionable. “So, we are inviting people from different fields to join our rally to make it clear that our movement is not finished. Rather, it's just another step for further escalation,” he said.