We are not Terrorists! We are doctors, we save you; Doctors across the country condemn attack on colleagues in West Bengal by Muslim mob and TMC goons

Two doctors Paribaha Mukhopadhyay and Yash Tekwani suffered head injuries and had to be hospitalized. Doctor Paribaha was hit by a large brick which as dented his skull as per the CT scan image released by the hospital.

Doctors in NRS Medical College protested against the attack on their staff and ceased work. The next day, interns from the college and other parts of the state in an expression of solidarity struck work and began to protest. Doctors from Calcutta National Medical College and Medical College Kolkata were the firs to join the strike expressing solidarity with their colleagues at NRS. The protesting doctors demanded strict action against the Muslim mob and enduring safety for the doctors on duty.

On June 12th the protesting doctors organised a 9-to-9 shutdown of their services across all hospitals in the state. The outdoor patient departments (OPD) at the government hospitals were shut, while emergency departments at all hospital functioned as normal. However, regular medical services were affected by the low attendance of doctors. Private hospitals were also affected as doctors here too expressed solidarity with the protesting doctors. The CM instead of assuring the doctors had threatened them with penal action if they do not return to work.

Taking this as a cue, the TMC goons have attacked doctors and interns in their hostels. The doctors say that the TMC goons were angered as their protest against Mamata’s government did not stop and was spreading to other places in the state. Reports from Bengal suggest that during the last 2 days TMC goons have attacked boys hostel at CNMC, then entered MCK and forcefully closed the gate and death threats were made if they continued the strike. Protesters from Kolkata have reported that interns and Post-Graduate Trainees in various hostels were also threatened with rape by the TMC goons. At Burdwan medical college, the TMC workers attacked the inmates with acid, bricks and country made explosives. Affected hostel inmates have posted the details on social media and said that students were trapped inside and were running low on food. One of the interns was injured in the eye in the attack. Similar attacks by TMC goons took place at Murshidabad medical college hostel and Malda Medical college premises.

Doctors across the country are now expressing solidarity with their colleagues in West Bengal. Protests and Sit-ins have been reported from Medical Colleges in New Delhi and other places condemning the attacks on medical college hostels by TMC workers. Doctors in AIIMS protested with a placard saying “We are not Terrorists! We are doctors, we save you #StopViolenceAgainstDoctors AIIMS residents stand with NRSMCH #SaveTheSavior #SaveYourself We demand SAFE workplace“.

Doctors across the country have condemned the way Mamata’s government has handled the crisis. Instead of easing the tensions, Mamata herself repeated the threat against the doctors. She visited NRS Medical College and addressed the protesting doctors. However, after the customary assurance she threatened them with lathi charge, cancellation of registration and expulsion of hostel inmates if they do not return to work within 4 hours. As usual, she termed the protesting doctors as ‘outsiders’ and labelled the protests as a political agenda. Doctors across the country are questioning Mamata Banerjee that if asking for a safe and secure working environment is a political agenda, what are the doctors supposed to do when attacked by mobs.

As situation in West Bengal seems to get out of control, Mamata’s way of handling the crisis has drawn sharp criticism from all across the country. #SaveTheDoctors trended on social media with demands of safe working environment for the doctors in West Bengal and condemnation for the way the entire episode was handled. Attacks by TMC goons on doctors has angered everyone and the protests are only intensifying everywhere. Mamata’s government would do well to step back and offer a olive branch instead of being on a collision course with the doctors of the state thus affecting the common man.