Junior doctors in West Bengal began their fast unto death protest against the state government accusing it of inaction over their demands. The medics have been protesting against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
The junior doctors began their sit-in protest on Friday at Dorina Crossing in Kolkata's Dharmatala and gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the Mamata Banerjee government to fulfil their demands. The development comes just weeks after the medics ended their 42-day agitation on September 21 after long negotiations with the Bengal government.
"The state government has failed the deadline and hence we are starting the fast unto death, which will continue till our demands are fulfilled," a junior doctor told PTI. "To maintain transparency, we have installed CCTV cameras at the dais where our colleagues are holding the fast," the medic said.
The doctors have joined their duty but "will not eat anything," said the junior doctor, adding that at present six junior doctors were sitting on fast.
Snigdha Hazra, Tanaya Panja and Anustup Mukhopadhyay of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital, SSKM's Arnab Mukhopadhyay, Pulastha Acharya of NRS Medical College and Hospital, and Sayantani Ghosh Hazra of KPC Medical College are among the six junior doctors who were sitting on the fast.
The doctors have warned that the state would be held responsible if the doctors fell ill during the fast.
"We have the support of the people, and that is the reason we are not scared of any sort of hindrances by the administration. We will continue our hunger strike until our demands are met," he added.
Common people marked their presence at the protest site in large numbers. A few celebrities were also present at the protest site.