Kolkata Rape-Case: Doctor's Forum condemns show cause notice to PGI doctors, calls it undemocratic
Chandigarh: Standing in solidarity with the resident doctors of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh, All India Residents and Junior Doctors’ Joint Action Forum (AIJAF) unequivocally condemned PGIMER authorities issuing a show-cause notice to the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) over the strike on October 15.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that after doctors at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh held a 12-hour hunger strike on October 15 in solidarity with protesting doctors in Bengal, the administration issued a show-cause notice to the president of the Association of Resident Doctors.
The junior doctors in West Bengal went on a cease work following the rape-murder of their fellow medic at R G Kar hospital on August 9. They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21, following assurances from the Bengal government to look into their demands. After the government failed to address their demands, around seven West Bengal Junior Doctors Front doctors from different medical colleges and hospitals staged an indefinite hunger strike.
Stating the show-cause an autocratic administrative action taken by the PGIMER administration against the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) of PGIMER, AIJAF stated, “The utterly undemocratic and unjust decision of PGIMER administration to send a show-cause notice to the ARD, PGIMER is a shameful attempt to stifle the voices of healthcare professionals to voice their protest over the heinous and barbaric crime. AIJAF would like to reiterate here that despite over 2 months of judicial proceedings justice has not been served.”
Pointing out that the right to participate in peaceful protests by healthcare workers is a democratic right and the cease-work protests of doctors at PGIMER had not affected emergency healthcare services which were fully operational, the association stated in a press release, “The peaceful protests by PGIMER medicos have only strengthened the cause of this historic movement for Justice for a fallen colleague, justice demanding healthcare reforms not just in Bengal but across the country. AIJAF calls upon the PGIMER administration to take back the show-cause notice immediately respecting the democratic rights of healthcare professionals to protest. We stand with the President, ARD, PGI Chandigarh in solidarity.”
