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KOLKATA — The fast-unto-death by a group of junior doctors protesting against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata has entered the 14th day on Friday.
With each passing day, the number of common people and representatives from other professional spheres coming forward to express their solidarity with the protesting doctors is increasing.
On Friday, members of the two acclaimed cultural and literary groups in West Bengal decided to observe a token 12-hour hunger strike expressing solidarity with the fasting junior doctors.
One of the two cultural groups will also organise a cultural programme at the dais of the hunger strike at Esplanade in central Kolkata in support of the protesting doctors.
“Our strength is the spontaneous and unstinting support from the people. We have been able to carry forward our movement in support of our demands because of the mass support,” said a representative of West Bengal Junior Doctors Front, the umbrella body spearheading the movement on this issue.
Meanwhile, a crucial meeting has been convened by the West Bengal government on Friday, which will be chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to review the progress of security and infrastructure upgrading work at different state-run medical colleges & hospitals as directed by the Supreme Court.
It is learnt that the heads of all state-run medical colleges & hospitals have been asked to be present at the meeting. Those who will not be able to be present at the meeting physically have been asked to join virtually.
Eight junior doctors have continued with the hunger strike till date, out of whom seven are at Esplanade in central Kolkata and one is at the campus of North Bengal Medical College & Hospital at Siliguri in Darjeeling district.
So far six doctors, participating in the hunger strike that started on the evening of October 5, had to be hospitalised following deteriorations in their medical conditions.
One of them, Aniket Mahato of R.G. Kar, who was the first to be hospitalised, was released from the hospital on Thursday afternoon. However, the doctors have advised him to remain under strict medical and diet restrictions for some time. Mahato has also been advised not to resume fasting.