BREAKING: TMC MLA Humayun Kabir Threatens to Gherao Protesting Doctors, Sparks Row

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir has sparked a row by threatening to gherao junior doctors at Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in Berhampore. The Bharatpur MLA expressed his displeasure with the "attitude of some junior doctors" at the hospital and slammed them for protesting in "airconditioned rooms while the masses suffer on streets."

Acknowledging that an FIR had been lodged against him for previous comments regarding junior doctors who had gone on cease work earlier this month, Kabir said, "I am not scared. Let them take out a rally of 1,000 people. If I am sent to jail for my comments, once I am released, I will take 10,000 people to gherao the junior doctors." He further questioned their professional conduct, saying, "Are these people fit to be called doctors? It will take me two minutes to make them return to their workplace."

Kabir's remarks were in response to the junior doctors' proposed cease work starting September 30, as they demand safety measures at hospitals and police action against attackers.

Following the TMC MLA's threats on the protesting doctors, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned the statements and said, “Yet another TMC leader has threatened protesting doctors, and this time it's repeat offender Humayun Kabir. He threatened the doctors by saying, 'It will take me two minutes to send them back. If the doctors bring a thousand people, I’ll bring ten thousand.' Is this the language an MLA should use? No action has been taken because West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee does not want 'justice for the daughter,' she wants to 'erase evidence' and 'hide the truth.'”

Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh also criticised the Trinamool leaders' statements, attributing them to the worsening situation. Ghosh said, "The situation has come to such pass that the entire system is on the verge of collapse, patients' deaths are protested by their aggrieved kins who blame poor healthcare facilities while junior doctors are feeling insecure in hospitals."

The junior doctors in West Bengal has decided to consider a total cease work in medical colleges after seeing the state government's response based on the RG Kar case hearing at the Supreme Court on September 30. This decision followed an incident where three doctors and three nurses were assaulted after a patient died at the College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital near Kolkata on Friday night. The medics argue that these attacks highlight the state government's failure to fulfill promises of providing security for healthcare workers.