Docus submitted allege ‘arbitrary suspension’ of junior doctors’

Kolkata: The documents relating to the “arbitrary” suspension of some junior doctors and barring many junior doctors from entering the campus of the RG Kar Medical College have been submitted to Swasthya Bhawan. It was alleged in the documents that RG Kar’s principal and MSVP took the decision of suspension in an arbitrary manner.

The RG Kar authorities had on September 11 barred 51 junior doctors and students from entering the campus and formed a committee to probe allegations of intimidation after the protesting resident doctors alleged that these doctors and students were promoting a “threat culture” on the campus. On October 5, a meeting of the special college council decided to expel 10 of the accused from the institute till further orders. Among the 51 junior doctors and students, the council decided to bar some from the campus for six months to a year, depending on their alleged misconduct.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her meeting with agitating junior doctors in Nabanna on Monday had expressed her disapproval of such stringent action that medical college authorities had taken bypassing the health department.

She questioned as to how the principal had taken such action against some junior doctors and resident doctors against whom some allegations were brought by the other junior doctors who were protesting.

“How can these students or resident doctors be suspended just based on complaints? Who gave the college authorities the right to take such a step without informing the state government? Is this not a ‘threat culture’?” Banerjee had asked. The Calcutta High Court on Monday observed that the principal should have obtained approval from the Health department before taking any action against the accused.

Meanwhile, the Health department-appointed enquiry committee found evidence that hints that Birupaksha Biswas and Avik De were involved in intimidating the junior doctors and even the senior officials of various medical colleges and promoting threat culture. State Health department is likely to take action based on the recommendation of the enquiry committee. Several allegations have surfaced against Biswas and De since the RG Kar incident occurred.