RG Kar horror: Junior doctors' fast unto death enters 6th day, one of them critical
Kolkata (PTI): Junior doctors agitating over the rape and murder of their colleague at the RG Kar hospital continued their fast unto death for the sixth day on Friday, even as the condition of one of the medics on hunger strike, who was hospitalised, remained "critical", health officials said.
Aniket Mahato was admitted to the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Thursday night after his health condition deteriorated due to continuous fasting since Sunday.
A five-member medical board was constituted to oversee the treatment of Mahato, the health officials said.
"He was brought to the hospital in an unconscious condition. His condition is critical. He has been provided with oxygen and other necessary treatment for a patient who has not consumed water for the past few days. His condition is quite unstable," Dr (Prof) Soma Mukhopadhyay, CCU in charge of the hospital, told PTI.
"We hope that he will improve in the next few days. We have formed a five-member team," she said.
Meanwhile, the health condition of six others who are also on fast started showing signs of decline, said another junior doctor Debasish Halder, who is present at the protest site in Esplanade area in central Kolkata.
"We have kept all the necessary medical support like an ICU ambulance and others ready here so that we can manage if anyone requires hospitalisation," he said.
Halder said that their fasting would continue until their demands were fully addressed by the state government.
The health condition of the two other junior medics at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, who are also on fast unto death, has deteriorated, another health official said.
"We will not withdraw our hunger strike whatever the situation is... and those on fast are unwilling to call it off. Some others are likely to join the fast-unto-death demonstration by today. But I tell you, the state government will be solely responsible for whatever happens to them," Halder said.
Senior doctors concerned about the health condition of the junior medics have appealed to them to withdraw the hunger strike.
"These young doctors are our future. How can the state government be so insensitive? They must act fast before things go out of hand," Dr Hiralal Konar, one of the joint convenors of the Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal, told PTI.
The protesting doctors have been demanding justice for the deceased woman medic at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam.
Their other demands include the establishment of a centralised referral system for all hospitals and medical colleges in the state, the implementation of a bed vacancy monitoring system, and formation of task forces to ensure essential provisions for CCTV, on-call rooms, and washrooms at their workplaces.
They are also demanding increased police protection in hospitals, recruitment of permanent women police personnel, and swift filling of vacant positions for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
The junior doctors went on to cease work following the rape-murder of a fellow medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
They ended their stir after 42 days on September 21 following assurances from the state government to look into their demands.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
