In India, a growing number of doctors are raising their voices through an indefinite hunger strike in response to the horrific rape and murder of a medical resident. This tragic event, which occurred in August at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, has ignited widespread protests across the nation.
As of last week, over two dozen doctors have been engaged in the hunger strike, with six individuals consuming only water and necessitating hospitalization due to health concerns. The state-run institution where the incident took place is grappling with workers who feel unsafe, sparking urgency in the search for justice.
The young victim’s body—discovered in a seminar room—revealed numerous injuries, including a shattered neck. The identity of the 31-year-old resident is protected under Indian law, which safeguards the anonymity of sexual assault victims. This heinous crime has resonated deeply within the medical community and across the country, dramatizing the ongoing plague of violence against women in India and pushing health professionals to demand thorough investigations and protective measures in hospitals.
In response to the flaring unrest, the West Bengal government has initiated an investigation now overseen by federal authorities, though many feel the progress has been inadequate. Dr. Sunanda Ghosh, part of a newly formed group named the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front, articulated the frustration felt by many doctors, tying the disquieting issues of workplace corruption to the recent tragedy.
“The brutal murder of our colleague raises questions about her outspoken stance against corruption,” Dr. Ghosh stated, echoing the sentiments of her peers. “We want to understand the real motive behind her killing.”
Across the country, physicians have mobilized collectively to push for reforms. In various cities including Lucknow, doctors have initiated relay fasting—taking turns to protest during hospital shifts. Some have even called for the removal of high-ranking health officials and the implementation of police protections in medical facilities.
The doctors attribute their concerns, in part, to escalating assaults against medical personnel. Dr. Divyansh Singh from Lucknow noted a distressing increase in attacks on doctors despite discussions of improved security measures in hospitals. “We will persist in our quest for justice,” he affirmed, emphasizing the determination shared by his colleagues.
The protests illuminate urgent calls for safety and reform within India's healthcare system, as the nation grapples with the troubling intersection of gender-based violence and corruption within occupational fields.
