Doctors in Karnataka hold protest seeking justice for Kolkata rape-murder victim
Bengaluru (PTI): Members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Karnataka on Saturday joined the nationwide protest condemning the rape and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata.
Seeking justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and killed in a Kolkata hospital, a protest march is being taken out by the doctors in several parts of the southern state.
In Bengaluru, the agitation is taking place at the IMA office in Chamarajpet where over 1,000 doctors are participating.
The IMA Karnataka unit president Srinivasa S told PTI that its branches across Karnataka will remain shut and there will be no OPD services anywhere.
"All we want is justice for this young female doctor who was brutally raped and killed. What happened with her is totally unacceptable. We don't want any political involvement. Just like other professionals, doctors are also working in sensitive areas and so, we want a central law to safeguard doctors," he said.
Their other demands include - setting up safe zones and restrooms for doctors in hospitals who are working round the clock, there should be sufficient number of CCTV cameras installed inside every hopsital.
Pointing to instances of assault on doctors, he said police personnel should also be deployed in hospitals to ensure security.
"We are fighting for a genuine cause. In our country, women are worshipped. When we saves the lives of people, we are called Gods and this is how our doctors are treated. They are not safe at their workplace. We don't have safe zones, restrooms for doctors who work long hours. We are always told we are working for a social cause, for a noble cause and this is how our fraternity is treated," he lamented.
Demanding safety and security of doctors at workplace, he said the future of doctors should be safe and for that, both the central and state governments should work towards it effectively.
"No emergency services across any hospitals in Karnataka will be affected due to the strike," he added.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government on Friday suspended the leaves of the medical officers and surgeons of government hospitals.
In a circular, the Health and Family Welfare Department said all the district health and family welfare officers and district surgeons along with the administrative officers of all the hospitals should ensure that emergency services are not affected, causing trouble for people.
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Flip-flop on COP: Cong's dig at govt on withdrawing bid to host COP33
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday attacked the Centre over India withdrawing its bid to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, and said it reflects the Modi government's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit.
The opposition party said the decision also calls into question the government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term.
Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh recalled that on December 1, 2023, the prime minister had announced grandly in Dubai that India would be hosting the annual UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) in India in late 2028.
"Clearly the intention was to milk the global gathering for whatever it is worth in the months before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections like Mr. Modi did by having the G20 Summit in New Delhi a few months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," Ramesh said on X.
"Unexpectedly last night, it was announced that India will not be hosting the high-profile 2028 Conference. No reasons have been given for this sudden decision. But it does reflect on the Modi Govt's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit," the Congress general in-charge communications said.
It also calls into question the Modi government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term, Ramesh said.
By 2028, the seventh assessment report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) may get published and this could put greater pressure on India as the Chair of the 2028 Conference to forge a new consensus that would undoubtedly involve a scaling up of ambitions not just for a distant future, he said.
"Incidentally, do we recall what the PM had told a group of children some years ago on his view of climate change? He had remarked that 'people have changed, climate has not.' Bizarre!" Ramesh said.
He slammed the government's "flip-flop" on hosting the conference.
Ramesh had on Wednesday night said that he was "surprised" at the development.
"I am very surprised. It was high on the PM's agenda especially since 2029 will be the year of Lok Sabha polls. So atmospherics could have (been) created," he had said.
India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference Of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, according to sources.
During his address at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, Prime Minister Modi had proposed India as the host country for COP33. Usually, the venue for a COP edition is decided two years in advance.
Sources confirmed that the decision was officially communicated to the authorities concerned earlier this week that India is withdrawing its bid to host COP 33. They, however, did not state any specific reason behind the government's decision.
