Junior doctors, protesting over RG Kar horror, continue fast unto death amid Durga Puja festivities
Kolkata (PTI): The junior doctors, agitating over the rape and murder of their colleague at the RG Kar hospital, continued their fast unto death for the fifth day on Thursday amid the Durga Puja festivities across West Bengal.
At 9.30 am, the fast by the nine junior doctors of various medical colleges entered its 108th hour.
The junior doctors began the fast unto death on Saturday evening at the Dorina Crossing in Dharmatala in the heart of Kolkata after ending the total cease work that had crippled healthcare services.
Meanwhile, the state government convened a meeting on Wednesday evening with the protestors but failed to break the deadlock.
Following the meeting, which was chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the protesting doctors alleged that they received nothing concrete from the state except "verbal assurances".
"Our friends have been protesting without food for over four days, and the government says it will consider our demands only in the third week of October, after the pujas. We never expected such insensitivity," said Debasish Halder of the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front.
At the protest site, the doctors also criticised the police for apprehending their colleagues who were demonstrating and distributing leaflets outside some Durga Puja pandals in the city on Wednesday.
The protesting doctors emphasised that securing justice for the deceased woman medic remains their foremost priority.
They also called for the immediate removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam, alleging administrative incompetence and inaction against corruption in the department.
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 the 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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NADA suspends Bajrang Punia for four years for violation of anti-doping code
New Delhi, Nov 26: The National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday suspended Bajrang Punia for four years for his refusal to provide his sample for dope test on March 10 during selection trials for the national team.
NADA had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which, the World Governing body UWW had also suspended him.
Bajrang had appealed against the provisional suspension and NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping panel (ADDP) had revoked it on May 31 till NADA issues the notice of charge.
NADA, then on June 23 served the notice to the wrestler.
Bajrang, who joined Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was given charge of All India Kisan Congress, had challenged the charge on July 11 in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4.
"The Panel holds that the Athlete is liable for sanctions under Article 10.3.1 and liable for ineligibility for a period of 4 years," the ADDP said in its order.
The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to.
"In the present case, since the Athlete had been provisionally suspended, the Panel accordingly holds that the Athlete’s period of his ineligibility for the period of 4 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., 23.04.2024.
"Needless to say that on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension for the period from 31.05.2024 to 21.06.2024 shall not be credited into the total period of ineligibility of four years."
Bajrang has maintained since the beginning that he was given extremely prejudicial and unfair treatment with respect to doping control because of his involvement in the protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Bajrang also maintained that he never refused to give sample but only demanded to know NADA’s response to his email where he sought answer why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023.
NADA also explained the reason for its action, saying that the Chaperone/DCO had duly approached him and informed that he was required to provide a urine sample for dope analysis purposes.
Bajrang in his written submission said that the conduct of NADA in two previous instances had created mistrust in the athlete's mind, especially with NADA failing to acknowledge or even respond to their callous approach towards the doping control process in both such instances, the failure to take responsibility for their action pertaining to their dispersal of duties meant that the athlete was morally bound to take a stance in resort as a senior athlete who holds a voice in the sporting community.
Bajrang also said "it was not an outright refusal per se. The athlete was always willing to provide his sample provided that he first received a response from NADA concerning the use of expired kits."
However NADA said, "the outright refusal by the athlete to provide urine sample for the dope test was intentional and deliberate" and that "Athlete has demonstrated utter disregard towards his duties and responsibilities as per Articles 20.1 & 20.2 of the Anti Doping Rules, 2021."
