A post on the social media platform Instagram, dated Sunday, October 6, by the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) (@w.b.j.d.f) said, "24 hours have elapsed. The blood Sugar Level of each hunger striker is falling. Still, the fight continues..."
A total of six doctors have been on strike since Sunday, October 6, stationed at Esplanade, the heart of the city. A medical oncology senior resident from RG Kar Medical College, Dr Snigdha Hazra, who is on hunger strike, stated that their protest aims to have their demands addressed, focusing on seeking justice for Abhaya.
She further added, "Some of our demands could have been easily fulfilled but the government is not relenting. The CBI reports, too, show that no proper investigation is being carried out. Our strike also brings attention to all of these anomalies taking place."
When asked how they were managing the hunger, the doctor replied candidly, "We are accustomed to going without food for more than 20 hours because of our duties... so there's no significant discomfort." This response offers a glimpse into the demanding challenges they face throughout their career.
Another protesting doctor Dr Sayantani Ghosh Hazra, highlighted the toxic culture that had been festering even before Abhaya's tragic incident.
She remarked, "My identity at this moment is no different from Abhaya's. I could have easily been in her place. This incident cannot be viewed in isolation and is a consequence of a culture of threats that has been brewing, and flawed administrative decisions leading to such a horrific event. We are here to seek justice, and we will fight for it," she added.
The movement is not limited to RG Kar alone; several doctors from other state-run medical colleges have also stepped up to support the cause.
A protesting doctor from Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College (NRS), Kolkata, Dr Pulastya Acharya, said that the cause for which he is fighting is inherently personal. "This is my fight for Abhaya and for medical education. The murder of medical education and victimising doctors forcing them to be in an undemocratic environment need to be stopped immediately..."
The junior doctors of the state had called off their 'cease work' on Friday, October 4, but offered an ultimatum to the West Bengal government to address their demands within 24 hours or they would be forced to launch a hunger strike till death.
