People’s Movement: Junior Doctors’ Response To Court’s “Back To Work” Order

The junior doctors of Kolkata have declared that they would continue their protest against the horrific rape-murder of a young doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital till justice is done. The announcement came late on Monday evening – hours after the Supreme Court gave them a 5-pm-Tuesday deadline to join work. 

The doctors said the protest is “a people’s movement and neither the government nor the Supreme Court should forget that”. 

The junior doctors have been observing ‘cease work’ at state-run hospitals for nearly a month now. 

During its hearing of the case earlier on Monday, the top court had said the protesting doctors should return to work by Tuesday evening. 

“In order to create sense of confidence we state that in the event that doctors come to work by 5 PM tomorrow, no adverse actions shall be taken. If there is continuous abstention from work despite the facilities given, there will be likelihood of action in future,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had said.

Pointing out that the 28-day protest has severely disrupted healthcare services, the Chief Justice said, “They are in a system to render service. We will provide facilities but they have to reciprocate. If doctors do not resume work, then we cannot stop the government from taking disciplinary action”. Junior doctors cannot say seniors are working, so they won’t, he added.

The state health department, in its affidavit, has said 23 people have died due to the doctors’ strike.