Sayan Chatterjee, New Delhi, 10th September 2024 – In a time marked by widespread anger and frustration, the recent Supreme Court hearing on the Abhaya case has left many questioning the efficacy of the justice system. The case, which involves the brutal rape and murder of Abhaya, has been under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s jurisdiction for several months. Despite significant public outcry, the investigation has yet to show much progress, leading to growing fears that justice for Abhaya may be indefinitely delayed. The case has been repeatedly transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI and through the High Court to the Supreme Court, with no resolution yet, with proceedings underway.
During the proceedings, a surprising twist occurred when the state’s lawyer, Kapil Sibal, shifted focus to the ongoing junior doctors’ strike. Sibal argued that the strike was responsible for patient deaths and widespread disruptions in healthcare services. This claim, however, sparked outrage among those supporting the junior doctors, who accused the state of misrepresenting the situation. They emphasized that senior doctors have continued to provide care across the state’s 245 government hospitals, with only 26 facilities affected by the strike involving junior doctors.
Supporters of the junior doctors condemned the government’s attempts to undermine their movement, arguing that the strike by 7,500 junior doctors out of the nearly 93,000 registered doctors in West Bengal could not be solely responsible for the collapse of the healthcare system. Instead, they pointed to broader systemic issues, which they believe have been exacerbated by the state government’s mismanagement. The state government faced additional criticism for its handling of the healthcare system. Despite suspending a few officials, including Sandeep Ghosh, Birupaksha, and Avik, critics labelled these actions as mere token gestures. They argued that no substantial efforts had been made to address deeper issues such as corruption, police negligence, and healthcare mismanagement. The junior doctors’ demands for better working conditions, including separate restrooms and adequate staffing, have also gone unmet.
Furthermore, the junior doctors and their supporters condemned the state’s attempt to link their movement to violent incidents during a political event on August 27. They firmly reiterated that they had distanced themselves from political or violent activities, accusing the government of spreading false narratives in court. As tensions continued to rise, the junior doctors’ movement announced plans for a march from Karunamoyee, an urban vicinity, to the Health Department, West Bengal, India, on September 10th at 1 PM. The march aimed to draw attention to their five-point healthcare reform demands and seek justice for Abhaya. Among their demands was the resignation of top officials, including the Commissioner of Police, citing negligence in the investigation and failures in maintaining law and order.
Public support for the junior doctors has been strong, with many taking to the streets in solidarity. However, the state government’s response has been perceived as dismissive. The Chief Minister’s call for a return to normalcy and celebrations was met with harsh criticism from the movement, which deemed the call insensitive while justice for Abhaya remains unachieved. In a release issued by the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, the junior doctors sternly requested concrete actions from the state government by 5 PM the following day. They warned that they would continue their strike if their demands were unmet, holding the government accountable for the ongoing deadlock. As the situation remained volatile, the state government, healthcare professionals, and the public anxiously awaited the subsequent developments in both the Abhaya case and the junior doctors’ movement.
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