Kolkata rape-murder case: FAIMA doctors to continue strike, says “its now or never”

New Delhi [India], August 20 (ANI): The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) on Tuesday said that they will continue their strike in the alleged rape and murder incident of the PG trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In a press statement, FAIMA announced that OPD and Elective OT services will remain closed.

“Today after the hearing of the Supreme Court in the Kolkata Rape and Murder case, FAIMA Doctors Association had a Pan India meeting with all the associated RDAs.

After due diligence and discussions with all the stakeholders involved, we have decided that we are not calling off the protest till something concrete on CPA is done by the Health Ministry. Strike to be continued, OPD and Elective OT will remain closed. ITS NOW OR NEVER. Also, we will be going to the Supreme Court for Justice via legal channels. However, we are thankful to SC for having sympathy for doctors and trying to resolve the issue,” the press statement said.

They further said that it’s a “do or die” situation and further demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Health Minister JP Nadda to intervene in the situation and bring ordinance to put an end to strike.

In a social media post on X, FAIMA wrote, “In the meeting of National RDAs and stakeholders of FAIMA, it was decided that we will continue with the strike. We are in a #DoOrDie situation, we want @MoHFW_INDIA @HomeMinistr2024 @JPNadda @AmitShah ji to intervene and bring an ordinance an put an end to strike.”

Meanwhile, Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the nation can’t wait for another rape and murder for bringing changes on the ground and set up National Task Force to prepare an action plan to prevent violence against medical professionals and providing safe working conditions.

“As more and more women join the work force, the nation cannot wait for another rape for things to change on the ground,” the top court said.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra’s observation came while hearing a suo motu cognisance of the rape and murder of a doctor in State-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal.

The top court questioned the West Bengal government for waiting three hours to register the FIR. The top court also pulled the WB govt observing that the name and graphic images of the deceased have been widely circulated on social media without regard to her privacy or dignity.

On 9 August 2024, a thirty-one-year-old postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College Hospital, Kolkata who was on a thirty-six-hour duty shift was murdered and allegedly raped inside the seminar room of the hospital.