RG Kar protest: Kolkata police deny junior doctors permission for Tuesday's mega rally

Kolkata: The Kolkata Police has denied permission for a planned rally by medical representatives set for Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 pm, protesting the rape and murder of the junior doctor in August.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum (WBJDF), leading the movement, announced on Tuesday morning that they were informed of the police's decision via an email sent shortly after midnight.

In response, the WBJDF emphasised that their democratic movement, which includes the active participation of the public, "cannot be suppressed under any circumstance."

The rally was intended to begin at College Square and conclude at Esplanade, where seven junior doctors are on a hunger strike demanding justice. The forum has invited the public to join the protest.

According to the junior doctors, the police cited popular Durga Puja pandals along the rally route as a reason for the denial, claiming the event would disrupt pandal visitors. “This reasoning is baseless since the rally route does not have any major and popular pandals where the footfall is higher. Our peaceful protests involving spontaneous participation by common people cannot be suppressed under any circumstance,” said a WBJDF representative.

Since Saturday evening, the junior doctors have been protesting in a unique manner, with some on a hunger strike while others have resumed their medical duties. Initially, six junior doctors - three men and three women - started the hunger strike, and on Sunday evening, a seventh doctor joined them.

Agency