RG Kar Incident: Over 70 Padma Awardee Doctors write to PM Modi to Take Immediate Action

New Delhi: Expressing their deep concern and anguish over the recent horrific events at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata, a group of 70 Padma Awardee doctors have penned an urgent letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The doctors have called for immediate and decisive action to address the growing violence against healthcare professionals, particularly emphasizing the need for stronger measures to protect the safety and dignity of those working in the medical field.

Referring to the gruesome incident at RG Kar Medical College the doctors stated that Such acts of brutality shake the very foundations of service by medical professionals and highlight the urgent need to address violence, particularly against women, girls, and healthcare professionals.

The letter demanded Harsher and time-bound punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence while also asking the government to ensure Enhanced safety measures in hospitals and medical institutions

The signatories to the letter include 71 doctors including Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Dr. Anoop Misra, Dr. A K Grover, Dr. Alka Kriplani, Dr. Mohsin Wali, Dr. Ambrish Mithal, Dr. Pradeep Chowbey, Dr. Anil Kohli, Dr. Arvind Lal, Dr. Ashok Seth, Dr. Balram Bhargava, Dr. Mahesh Verma, Dr. Mahipal Sachdev, Dr. N P Gupta, Dr. P K Julka, Dr. Praveen Chandra, Dr. Raman Kapur, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Dr. Shashank Joshi, Dr. Shiv Kumar Sarin, Dr. Sudhir Shah, Dr. Upendra Kaul, Dr. Yash Gulati, Dr. (Lt Gen) B N Shahi, Dr. Devendra Triguna, Dr. Dinesh Bhargava, Dr. Balbir Singh, Dr. Ganesh K Mani, Dr. Lalit Kumar, Dr. M Khalilullah, Dr. Purshotam Lal, Dr. R K Grover, Dr. S P Yadav, Dr. Atul Kumar, Dr. Arvinder Singh Soin, Dr. D S Rana, Dr. T S Kler, Dr. Daljeet Singh Gambhir, Dr. Himmatrao Bawaskar, Dr. Jagdish Prasad, Dr. Jeewan S Titiyal, Dr. K K Sethi, Dr. K K Naik, Dr. Malvika Sabharwal, Dr. Manjula Anagani, Dr. Narendra Pandey, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Dr. Neelam Kler, Dr. Nikhil Tandon, Dr. N K Ganguly, Dr. Nitish Naik, Dr. Nosher Shroff, Air Marshal Dr. Padma Bandopadhyay, Dr. P K Sethi, Dr. Ashok Gupta, Prof. J M Hans, Prof. R K Grover, Dr. Ravindra Kolhe, Dr. Sandeep Guleria, Dr. Sanjeev Bagai, Dr. Randhir Sud, Dr. Deepak Sehgal, Dr. S C Manchanda, Dr. Saumitra Rawat, Dr. Raminder Grover, Dr. M.V. Padma Srivastava, Dr. Harsh Kumar, Dr. A K Bhalla, Dr. B K Rao, Dr. S P Mandal, and Dr. Ashok Vaid.

In the letter, doctors demanded the harshest possible punishment for violence against healthcare workers and called for the central and state governments to quickly enact and implement a separate law for the protection of healthcare workers, ensuring its rapid enforcement on the ground. A proposed bill, "The Prevention of Violence Against Doctors, Medical Professionals and Medical Institutions Bill," has been ready since 2019 but has not yet been tabled in Parliament for passage and adoption.

"We strongly believe that an ordinance to this effect can be brought immediately, and the bill should be passed post-haste so that all those working in healthcare delivery systems in the country can work without fear, in service of suffering patients," the letter stated.

The proposed ordinance/bill should ensure that the harshest possible punishment is given to those who indulge in violence against healthcare workers, whether verbal or physical. Such cases should be resolved swiftly by the judiciary, with offences categorised as non-bailable, the doctors added

"We should not allow such acts to become normalised or forgotten. As recipients of one of the nation's prestigious civilian honours, we feel a deep responsibility to speak out and demand timely action and appropriate changes," the letter stated 

"Let this tragedy serve as a catalyst for real, lasting change. We owe it to the late Nirbhaya, and to all victims of sexual violence, and to future generations to create a society where such horrors are unthinkable. We earnestly appeal to you through this letter to safeguard the medical profession against physical assaults and defacement of the dignity and respect of all healthcare workers," the padma awardees unanimously noted