RG Kar protest: Rival junior doctors’ groups clash as tensions escalate

Kolkata: The protests by doctors in West Bengal over the rape and murder of a junior doctor from R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata have taken a complicated turn, with rival associations exchanging accusations.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF), which is leading the protests, has accused the newly-formed West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Association (WBJDA) of harbouring members who promote a “threat culture” in medical colleges and hospitals. The WBJDF claims that the WBJDA has connections to influential figures in the medical community, including former R.G. Kar principal Sandip Ghosh.

Conversely, representatives of the WBJDA, reportedly supported by the ruling Trinamool Congress, have accused the WBJDF of using the tragic incident to further their own interests, including raising funds under the guise of protests. They have called for an investigation into the WBJDF's activities, particularly regarding their funding sources.

The WBJDF has dismissed these allegations, asserting that the WBJDA is backed by the ruling party to undermine the protests, which have garnered significant public support.

“We had withdrawn our fast-unto-death considering the larger public interest and because of the request from the parents of the victim junior doctor. But that does not mean that we will be withdrawing the agitation in support of our demands on this issue. Rather we will be extending the ambit of our protest beyond metros, urban, suburban and district headquarters to rural West Bengal,” a WBJDF representative said.

In response to the ongoing situation, the WBJDF has announced plans for a protest march to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Salt Lake on Wednesday, just before the Kali Puja. They are demanding a swift and thorough investigation into the rape and murder case.

Agency