“Is the Chief Minister That Ruthless?” Questions the Junior Doctors
Junior doctors in Dharmatala are on a relentless hunger strike for justice, demanding attention from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. With only water for sustenance, they raise crucial questions about compassion and accountability in healthcare.
For the past thirteen days, a handful of junior doctors have been staging a hunger strike outside the Metro Channel in Dharmatala, and let me tell you, their resolve is as tough as old boots. Leading the charge are Sayantani Ghosh Hazra, Sigdha Hazra, and Arnab Bandopadhyay, who have been on what they call an ‘amaran onshon’—or in layman’s terms, a hunger strike—since the very first day.
On Friday, they held a press conference right there in Dharmatala, and you could cut the tension with a knife. Sayantani, with fire in her belly, posed some hard-hitting questions: “Why has Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee not come to speak with us even once? Why are our ten demands still hanging in limbo? And most importantly, why are we still starving here like a bunch of raving lunatics?”
She continued, “We’ve been living off nothing but water for the last thirteen days. No ORS, no glucose—just plain water. Talking is becoming a right bother, and we can’t help but wonder: does the Chief Minister ever think about us? We’ve seen her off enjoying the Durga Puja festivities while we’re here parched and pleading for a crumb of compassion. It wouldn’t take her long to sign off on our ten demands—ten minutes, tops! Why is she being so stubborn?”
It seems the government is as responsive as a brick wall, leading to some rather frantic discussions among the senior doctors who’ve been summoned to strategise their next move. Meanwhile, Sayantani remarked, “The common folk have been wonderful, rallying behind us daily. They come up, tell us we’re like their own children, yet our Chief Minister seems utterly indifferent to our plight. Does she not once think to glance at our parched faces?”
In a bid to garner support, the junior doctors have organised a ‘Nyay Yatra’ from Sodpur to Dharmatala, showing that the masses are likely to turn up. “The public will certainly respond; their blessings are our strength. But will the Chief Minister respond? We’ve been sitting here on nothing but water for thirteen days, hoping for a glimmer of recognition,” Sayantani mused.
They’ve also extended a heartfelt invitation to the public to come and support them. “Come and join us this Sunday in Dharmatala. Bring your voices, give us the morale boost we so desperately need. Our health is deteriorating, and our voices are growing faint, but with your presence, we’ll find strength,” she urged. “We’ve sat here for thirteen days without a bite to eat, just hoping for the Chief Minister to take ten minutes to acknowledge us. Our demands are fair, and we won’t be beaten down easily, but we are furious—not from hunger, but from a longing for justice.”
One of their members, Rumelika, has also been on strike for three days and voiced her frustration, saying, “This protest should never have escalated to this point. The Chief Minister bears the responsibility for this dire situation. Some say we’re being obstinate, but we’re merely paying the price for the government’s blunders. Our comrades in hospitals are suffering because of the corruption and deception they face.”
The junior doctors began their strike on October 5th, with six initially embarking on this grueling journey. As the days progressed, the ranks grew thinner due to health issues, with three still holding strong while others were hospitalised. Aniket Mahato from RG Kar Hospital was released from the hospital on Thursday, while the strike continues in North Bengal, where two others are also hospitalised.
With cameras set up to maintain transparency, these doctors are determined not to budge until their voices are heard. As the world spins on, one can only hope that someone on the other side of the table is paying attention. After all, in a world where everyone is busy having a laugh and enjoying their festivities, a little compassion goes a long way. So, what’s next? We’ll just have to wait and see if our dear Chief Minister can be coaxed out of her Durga Puja reverie and into a conversation with those who are quite literally putting their lives on the line for justice.
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