RG Kar case protests lead to doctors turning against doctors in Bengal

The protest against the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar hospital in Kolkata gave way to factionalism among junior doctors. A group of junior doctors have formed a new association, accusing the established West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) of deviating from the demand for basic justice for trainee doctors.

West Bengal Junior Doctors Association (WBJDA), members of the new association, alleged that many of them were expelled from RG Kar hospital in the name of “threat culture”. On the contrary, they said they were threatened by members of the Junior Doctors Association and WBJDF and deported them out of personal revenge.

More than 50 medics were suspended on October 5 for allegedly being part of a “culture of threats” at the state-run medical college. On October 22, the Calcutta High Court lifted the suspension of the sentence.

“We started the movement not for work stoppages, but for justice. “False allegations regarding threat culture were used against us, resulting in a flawed investigation and unfair dismissal,” said Dr Sirish Chowdhury, an intern at RG Kar. He added that those who complained against them were also part of the investigation committee, which cast a shadow on the fairness of the panel.

“We appeal to everyone against whom these false allegations are leveled. This is not a culture of threats, it is a culture of terrorism,” Dr Sirish said.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors Association has called for an impartial inquiry, likely to be conducted by former Supreme Court judges, to ensure accountability. They argued that “politically motivated” investigations should not determine the fate of junior doctors.

Another assistant doctor, Dr. “From day one, it was about justice (for the trainee doctor). Now it has turned into a proxy war on how to control Swasthya Bhawan. People have moved away from it,” said Sourav Kar.

“It is not claimed that everyone here is accused of a threat culture. We wanted change, but some extremely aggressive people hijacked the movement,” he added.