‘Duty Was Sold by Some Maoist Junior Doctors’: Bengal Health Minister on NRS Controversy

Kolkata: West Bengal Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee has alleged that a section of junior doctors has Maoist affiliations, linking the accusation to allegations that interns at NRS Medical College and Hospital were accepting money from colleagues in exchange for taking over their duty shifts.

The controversy surfaced after reports claimed that some interns at the state-run medical college were allegedly offering their duty hours to others for payment. The health department subsequently looked into the matter, and Mukherjee had earlier confirmed that an investigation had identified the practice and that action was being initiated against those involved. 

Responding to media queries, the minister rejected the description of the incident as a routine exchange of duty shifts and alleged that the practice involved a group of junior doctors with Left-wing political affiliations.

“Duty was sold by some Maoist junior doctors. This was not case of replacement of duty. There are some junior doctors who are Maoist, Leninist and Marxists. They are minuscule in number. Please do not think that they represent the entire junior doctor community. What this handful of Maoist doctors say, do not matter,” he said, TOI reported. 

The minister also criticised junior doctors who had previously raised concerns over conditions in government hospitals and demanded accountability in the medical system. Referring to the alleged sale of duty hours, he questioned their response to the issue.

“These Leftists don’t believe in truth. They have a wrong policy, practice and culture. Those who talk big about reforming the medical community and seek justice for Abhaya are not coming forward when it comes selling of duty hours,” Mukherjee said.

The remarks come against the backdrop of earlier disagreements between the minister and sections of the junior doctor community. Mukherjee, an oncologist, had actively participated in the RG Kar protest movement led by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front before entering politics.

Tensions had also emerged after the Chorbagan stampede, when interns at Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, questioned the government's decision to transfer injured people to Apollo Multispecialty Hospital instead of treating them at the state-run institution. They had spoken to the media about the medical college's infrastructure and facilities, following which the government ordered an inquiry into whether the interns had addressed the press during duty hours.