Photo Credit: Getty Images
Despite a court order to end the nationwide strike, Junior doctors in Kolkata are defying the court order to continue protests against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in the city.
The discovery of the body of the 31-year-old woman on 9 August sparked nationwide outrage in India. A hospital volunteer was arrested for the crime, which is now being investigated by a federal agency.
While protests have died down in other parts of India, doctors in Kolkata say they will hold firm until their demands are met.
Protesters have set up camp outside the state's health department headquarters, voicing five key demands: justice for the victim, the removal of senior police officials, and enhanced security for health workers, among them.
A deadline set by the Supreme Court for them to return to work passed on Tuesday evening. The court is currently hearing a case related to the matter.
The protests have put the government of West Bengal state - of which Kolkata is the capital - on the back foot. Courts have criticised the local administration and police for lapses in the handling of the case, which they have denied.
The state government has said that 23 people have died after not accessing medical services during the strike. Reports on local channels and videos on social media also show patients alleging that the absence of doctors has adversely affected treatment.
But the protesting doctors say they have ensured that emergency services are not affected.
“Senior doctors are putting in all the effort they can,” said Dr Amrita Bhattacharya of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front.
“We are providing healthcare through telemedicine from the protest sites. They can’t replace the facilities of a hospital, and we are not even claiming that, but we are there to treat patients."
On Wednesday, a state minister - West Bengal is governed by the Trinamool Congress party - alleged that the protests have been politicized by their rivals. But doctors insist they are not allied with any political party or ideology.
Lewis Musonye
