A day after Tapobrata Roy, a doctor affiliated with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), was detained and subsequently released for wearing a badge in support of the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder victim during a state-sponsored puja carnival. He joined a hunger strike led by junior doctors. The protest took place at Dharmatala, where senior doctors from the corporation also showed solidarity.
Roy defended his right to express himself, asserting that his arrest for simply wearing a badge was unjust. He explained, “There is no valid reason for my arrest. I only wore a badge and a T-shirt with the phrase ‘the spine should be straight’.” He further criticized the lack of freedom of speech in West Bengal, labeling it a "dictatorial regime" and emphasized the need for change. Roy joined the hunger strike in support of the junior doctors who have been on strike in protest of the RG Kar case.
Doctors have always been ‘soft targets’ and the ‘injustice inflicted on the medical fraternity has no parallel.Dr. R V Asokan, Chief of the Indian Medical Association.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sent a letter to the state's health secretary, urging action against two doctors allegedly involved in a medical scam. The letter highlighted that the Supreme Court had called for disciplinary measures against the doctors linked to the fraudulent activity.
The ongoing hunger strike at Dharmatala is a protest against the alleged rape and murder that occurred at RG Kar Medical College. Dr. R V Asokan, the head of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), remarked that medical professionals have consistently been "soft targets" and that the injustices faced by the fraternity are unparalleled.
There is no reason for me to get arrested. I simply wore a badge and a T-shirt with ‘the spine should be straight’ written on it.Dr. Tapobrata Roy
Governor C V Ananda Bose also weighed in on the situation, criticizing the Mamata Banerjee government for its failure to protect citizens' lives and properties. He revealed that his office was already addressing the RG Kar situation under constitutional provisions. The governor suggested that the arrest of both a police officer and a doctor in the case indicated widespread "institutional criminality" across various sectors in the state.
In a separate but related incident, the body of a Class XII student, allegedly raped and murdered, was discovered in Krishnanagar, located in Nadia district, West Bengal. The girl's body, with part of her face burnt, was found near the Superintendent of Police’s office. This tragic incident has caused widespread unrest, with political parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress demanding that the autopsy be conducted in the presence of a magistrate to ensure transparency and accountability.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)