Indian doctors on strike, and protests are escalating after a coworker was raped and killed at a hospital in Kolkata.
Indian doctors announced on Friday that they would protest and go on strike more frequently across the country after a coworker was raped and killed. The brutal killing has highlighted the long-standing issue of violence against women.
On August 9, the 31-year-old man’s bloodied and beaten body was discovered in a state-run hospital in Kolkata, an eastern city. This sparked protests all around the country.
“Our protests are getting stronger… to demand Justice For Moumita,” Suvrankar Datta said Friday from the government-run All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Many medical groups from both the public and private sectors have joined the strike.
Indian Doctors on Strike
Thousands marched through Kolkata’s streets all night Wednesday in protest of the killing. The candlelight gathering began at midnight, coinciding with India’s Independence Day celebrations.
The Indian Medical Association has requested a “nationwide withdrawal of services” for 24 hours beginning Saturday. This means that private hospitals will host no non-essential operations or medical treatments.
Indian news sources state the doctor was discovered deceased in the classroom hall of the teaching hospital. This implies she went there following a lengthy shift to have a quick break.
According to Indian television station NDTV the Indian doctors on strike, the victim’s parents filed a petition with the court, claiming that their daughter had been gang-raped. An autopsy verified the sexual assault.
“Killings” Police have detained a guy who worked at the hospital and helped patients get through huge lines, but individuals in the state administration are being criticized for how they handled the matter.
Sexual abuse directed at women presents a major issue for India due to Indian Doctors on Strike. The nation with 1.4 billion people averaged 90 rapes daily in 2022.
Many have found parallels between the episode and the horrific rape and death of a young woman on a Delhi transport in 2012.
The woman became a sign of how the country, which is quite conservative, doesn’t do enough to stop sexual abuse against women.
Her death led to massive, often violent protests in Delhi and other cities.
Because of pressure, the government made the penalty for rapists harsher and put repeat criminals on death row.
A variety of additional sexual offenses were also made law they need Justice For Moumita, such as stalking, and authorities who refuse to report rape can now go to jail.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged for fast sanctions for anyone who does “monstrous” acts to women on Thursday. “There is anger for atrocities committed against our mothers and sisters,” Modi remarked.
“Crimes against women should be looked into right away, and people who do horrible things to women should be punished severely and right away.”
Indian Doctors on Strike, they have also demanded that the Central Protection Act, a bill aimed to keep healthcare professionals secure from violence, be put into action and Justice For Moumita.
