New Delhi:
More than 70 Padma Awardee doctors have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about violence against doctors and other healthcare workers. They have also demanded swift and decisive action against the perpetrators of the heinous crime in Kolkata and called for a separate law to address violence, physical and verbal, against doctors, medical professionals and medical institutions.
“It is clear that stronger measures are urgently needed to prevent such atrocities. We call on law enforcement agencies, policymakers and society at large to take immediate and decisive action,” the doctors wrote.
A wish list was also drawn up, including stricter enforcement of existing laws, tougher and time-bound sentences for perpetrators of sexual violence, and better security measures in hospitals and medical facilities.
Regarding a new law, they wrote: “A bill, “The Prevention of Violence Against Doctors, Medical Professionals and Medical Institutions Bill,” has been ready since 2019, but has not yet been submitted to Parliament for approval and adoption.”
“We firmly believe that a regulation to this effect can be introduced immediately and that the bill should be passed as soon as possible so that everyone working in healthcare in the country can work without fear for the benefit of suffering patients,” they added.
Referring to the rape and murder of the young doctor in Kolkata, they demanded that this become a “catalyst for real, lasting change”.
“As recipients of one of the country's most prestigious civilian honors, we feel a great responsibility to speak out and demand timely action and appropriate changes,” they added.
The Kolkata rape-murder outrage has not died down even after ten days, despite the Central Investigation Agency taking over the case.
Today, after police cancelled a football match, supporters of arch-rivals East Bengal and Mohun Bagan gathered at the Salt Lake Stadium to protest the rape-murder. As the protests spread across the busy Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, blocking traffic, police used batons to control the crowd and arrested several of them.