Padma award-winning doctors write to Prime Minister on Kolkata incident, demanding speedy justice | Latest News from India

“We … write to you with deep concern and anguish over the horrific events that recently took place at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. As the leader of our nation, we implore you to take immediate and personal action to address this alarming situation. Such acts of brutality shake the foundations of the work of healthcare professionals and underscore the urgent need to combat violence, particularly against women, girls and healthcare professionals,” the letter said.

The signatories of the letter include former director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi Randeep Guleria, chairman and managing director of Medanta The Medicity Naresh Trehan, founder of Mahajan Imaging Harsh Mahajan, chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute Ashok Seth, former director general of Indian Council of Medical Research Balram Bhargava and SK Sarin, director of Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.

In their letter to the Prime Minister, the doctors made five demands. These include stricter enforcement of existing laws, harsher and time-limited penalties for perpetrators of sexual violence, improved security measures in hospitals and medical facilities, the adoption and implementation of a special law to protect healthcare workers, and the harshest possible penalties for violence against healthcare workers.

“The entire medical community is united in this and we stand in solidarity. It has been decided to convey our feelings and opinions to the highest authority,” said Dr. Mahajan, one of the signatories.

The doctors continued: “We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victim's family, whose pain and loss are unimaginable. We also express our full support to the medical community, which is increasingly confronted with such violence in the course of its work. The safety and dignity of medical personnel must be the top priority.”

The doctors believed that stronger measures were urgently needed to prevent such atrocities and called on law enforcement agencies, policymakers and society at large to take immediate and decisive action.

“…As recipients of one of the nation's most prestigious civilian awards, we feel a deep obligation to speak out and demand timely action and change… With this letter, we urge you to protect the medical profession from physical attacks and violations of the dignity and respect of all health care workers.”

Already on Saturday, members of the Indian Medical Association had written to the Prime Minister and urged him to ensure the safety of female workers in their workplaces.