Kolkata Horror: Doctors' Huge Rally at Swasthya Bhavan After SC's 'Back To Work' Order

Kolkata: Expressing dissatisfaction over the Supreme Court's order to resume duties, hundreds of agitating junior doctors in Bengal organised a huge rally at the 'Swasthya Bhavan' – the headquarters of the health department in Salt Lake – on Tuesday at around 1 pm. The medical professionals demand the resignation of Bengal's state secretary and director of health education (DHE). 

This comes after the doctors expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court's order ‘Back to Work’ order by 5pm. 

"After today's Supreme Court hearing, we are deeply disheartened and aggrieved. We observed that there has been no progress in the investigation of the horrific rape and murder of Abhaya, which was taken over by the CBI," the notice by junior doctors read.

"From the High Court to the Supreme Court, and from Kolkata Police to the CBI, the investigation has been handed around, yet justice remains distant. Moreover, we saw the state government and its lawyer, Kapil Sibal, playing a disgraceful role in trying to stop and malign our movement by any means. They claim that due to the junior doctors' strike, people are dying and patient services are being disrupted. We want to remind everyone clearly that patient services are operational in every medical college in the state, with senior doctors tirelessly providing care." it added.

Supreme Court Remarks Disheartening': IMA Bengal

This comes a day after the Indian Medical Association ( IMA ) too expressed disappointment over the observations made by the Supreme Court during the hearing over the rape and murder case. The IMA Bengal also questioned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over its approach in this case. The medical body said that no steps are being taken for timely justice.    

"We were eagerly waiting for the hearing of the Supreme Court today regarding the brutal murder and rape of an on-duty doctor in RG Kar Medical College dated 9th of August. We were expecting a positive outcome keeping in mind the brutality of the offense. However, we are totally disheartened by the proceedings of the court and CBI. No step was taken for a speedy trial to deliver justice to our colleague," it said in a statement.

"We were even more disheartened to learn that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has asked the junior doctors, who are the forerunners of this protest, to return to work by 5 pm tomorrow," it added.

This comes as earlier in the day, the top court directed the striking medics to resume their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday to avoid adverse action by the state government.

Amid ongoing protests regarding the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged doctors to resume their duties and denied claims that she had offered money to the family of the deceased doctor, who was raped and murdered in Kolkata.