How will public health infrastructure run: SC asks protesting doctors to resume work

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked doctors protesting over the rape and murder case of a postgraduate medic at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College to resume work, and assured them that no adverse action will be taken once they rejoin.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by the counsel for resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur that they are being victimised for protests over the Kolkata rape-murder case.

“Once they get back to duty, we will prevail upon authorities to not take adverse action. How will public health infrastructure run if the doctors do not work,” the bench, also comprising Justice J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

The Court has assured doctors’ associations that the newly constituted National Task Force (NTF) will hear all stakeholders involved in the Kolkata rape-murder case.

During the proceedings, the Court expressed its empathy towards patients visiting public hospitals, reflecting its concern over the broader impact of the incident.

In related developments, resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur informed the Court that they are being victimised for their protests concerning the Kolkata case.

Terming the incident as “horrific”, the apex court had excoriated the state government over the delay in filing the FIR and allowing thousands of miscreants to vandalise the state-run facility.

The alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests.

The medic’s body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospital’s chest department on August 9.

A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.