West Bengal's junior doctors continue sit-in against police atrocities during rally

While the cease work was called off at 8.30 pm on October 4, Friday, if the 24-hour deadline is not met by the West Bengal government, they will launch a hunger strike till death
The ticking clock
The ticking clock (Pic: Instagram handle @cnmcrda)
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Against the police atrocities, wherein, the police baton-charged a few students during a rally, the protesting junior doctors continued their sit-in protests though they had called off the cease work. 

Throughout the night of October 5, though it was raining in the Esplanade area of Kolkata, the doctors continued their sit-in. A few were seen standing under an umbrella while others sought shelter under a plastic shade at the Dorina crossing during their rally against the police baton charge. 

While the cease work was called off at 8.30 pm on October 4, Friday, if the 24-hour deadline is not met by the West Bengal government, they will launch a hunger strike till death. 

As a symbol of the same, a huge clock has been placed at the demonstration site. 

"When you are fighting for a significant cause, you cannot expect things to be easy. We anticipated better treatment from the state government. The baton charge and the verbal abuse from the police were both unnecessary, and we demand an apology," Debasish Halder, a representative of the protesting junior medics, told PTI.

"We will not vacate this place until that is provided," he added.

"It's time for the state government to respond and show that they are genuinely eager to resolve this issue. The clock is ticking for them," added Aniket Mahato, another junior medic.

Among their nine demands are:

- Removal of state Health Secretary NS Nigam and accountability for the alleged corruption and incompetence of the Department of Health 

- Centralised referral system for all medical colleges and institutes 

- Bed vacancy monitoring system

- Formation of task forces to ensure CCTVs, washrooms and so on

- Increased police protection in hospitals

- Recruitment of permanent women police personnel

- Filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers

- Elections for student councils

- Recognition of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA)

- Elected representation of students and junior doctors must be ensured in all committees

- Inquiry into alleged corruption and lawlessness within the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) and the West Bengal Health Recruitment Board (WBHRB)

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