Threat Culture Allegations: Senior doctors gheraoed West Bengal Medical Council office

Kolkata: Accusing the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) of being the epicentre of corruption and the origin of threat culture, senior doctors alongside a section of the public, gheraoed the council office in Salt Lake on Monday. 

It was reported that the Joint Platform of Doctors called upon senior doctors to join the protest in front of the West Bengal Medical Council's office. They were seeking justice for the postgraduate medical student who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

The gherao happened while the agitating junior doctors were in a meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee regarding the 10-point chartered demands. Medical Dialogues had recently reportedly that junior doctors who had been on hunger strike since October 5 to protest against the rape and murder of a PG trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, ended their strike on Monday following a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

Also read- RG Kar Protest: Junior doctors call off hunger strike, pledge to continue agitation

The medics also called off their proposed shutdown in the state's health sector from Tuesday till an indefinite period. Earlier in the day, a 17-member delegation of the medics met Banerjee at the state secretariat and discussed various issues, including the prevailing "threat culture" in hospitals, justice for their deceased colleague and systemic changes in the state's healthcare infrastructure.

The senior doctors also questioned the leadership and credibility of the council after the RG Kar Hospital incident as they pointed out that several council members are currently being investigated by the CBI, with some already having received summons from the agency.

It is also to be noted that till now four of the council members have resigned following the allegations of corruption and threat culture against junior doctors at different medical colleges. 

Speaking to TOI, orthopaedic professor Utpal Banerjee of Joint Platform of Doctors said, "Despite several deputations, no action has been taken against people in WBMC who are creators of threat culture. The council’s credibility is at stake with some members under the CBI scanner. There has been no meeting of the council for months now. We demand the dismantling of this council."

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