Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, September 29, 2024, Kolkata : On Sunday afternoon, Pradesh Congress President Subhankar Sarkar visited Sagar Dutta Medical College Hospital, where junior doctors have been protesting in response to a violent incident that resulted in the death of a patient and subsequent attacks on medical staff. However, upon his arrival, Sarkar encountered a hostile reception, with protestors chanting slogans of “Go back” directed at him.
Despite the tension, Sarkar remained on the premises for a short time, aiming to support the agitating doctors. He later explained to reporters that he approached the hospital without any political affiliation or party flags, wishing to show solidarity with the junior doctors’ movement. “I went to Sagar Dutta without any political flag,” he stated. “I wanted to support the doctors’ protest.”
Witnesses reported that as soon as Sarkar arrived, protestors took to the microphone, urging him to leave. They emphasized, “Those who are trying to use this stage for political reasons, please join hands and request them to go back.” The protests stem from unrest that erupted after a patient died on Friday night, leading to a violent outburst from the deceased’s relatives, who attacked doctors and nurses and vandalized parts of the hospital.
Since that incident, junior doctors at Sagar Dutta Hospital have been on strike, demanding safer working conditions and justice for their colleagues. In an effort to distance themselves from political agendas, the junior doctors asserted, “Just as doctors do not look at the religion or caste of the patient during treatment, they also do not have any political identity.”
Responding to the protestors’ chants, Sarkar insisted that they did not explicitly tell him to leave, stating, “I went and talked to them. They thanked us for not bringing the flag.” The incident highlights the complex intersection of healthcare and politics in the state, as junior doctors continue to advocate for their rights and safety in the wake of recent violence.