Nearly 350 resident doctors of RG Kar Medical College (RGKMC) in Kolkata have been protesting for the past three days. They have been on a relay hunger strike and have halted work as the stand-off between them and principal Sandeep Ghosh persists over several demands.

Over the last three and a half months, the doctors have been asking for reinstatement of the RGKMC union, a transparent hostel council and more beds in the hostel for female resident doctors. According to the principal, the agitation has been taken over by outsiders.

An agitation outside the principal’s house on October 9 triggered an intensification ofthe protest. Some protesters had gone to his house, to look for an explanation over their demands. A video uploaded on social media allegedly shows Ghosh threatening the protesters, which led to announcement of the relay hunger strike.

He later told media that he had no problem in discussing the demands. However, he clarified that he will not discuss them with everyone. He offered to discuss them with their representatives. The protesting doctors are; however, not ready to send any representative for talks, he stated.

The doctors, on the other hand, said that they had approached Ghosh on several occasions but did not reach any breakthrough. They intend to continue the strike until their demands are met.

Source: Express News Service