RG Kar case: IMA President coming to Kolkata to meet junior doctors on hunger strike

Kolkata, Oct 11 (IANS) Indian Medical Association (IMA) President Dr R.V. Asokan is reaching Kolkata on Friday to review the situation in the wake of the continuing protests by the medical fraternity over the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital and the continuing hunger strike by six junior doctors.

As per his schedule after landing at Kolkata, he will go straight to R.G. Kar and meet Aniket Mahato, the seventh junior doctor on the hunger strike, who was admitted to the intensive care unit there after Thursday midnight after his health conditions deteriorated drastically because of continued fasting.

Sources said that Asokan is also expected to go to the dais at Esplanade and meet the other six junior doctors who are continuing with their fast-unto-death protest, which has entered the seventh day on Friday.

He also expected to brief the media persons on IMA’s next course of action in the matter.

Meanwhile, the working committee of the West Bengal chapter of IMA has already given an ultimatum to the state government that they will be forced to launch a much bigger movement unless the state government initiates any positive steps to fulfil the demands of the junior doctors so that the six hunger-strikers withdraw their agitation.

IMA- Bengal is expected to define their “bigger path of movement” in the matter on Friday evening after a mega rally on the issue convened by the protesting junior doctors where they have sought the voluntary participation of the common people.

“Our junior fellows are fasting without even caring for their life. On the other hand, the state government is sitting on this issue. It is high time that the state government acts positively on the matter. Otherwise, we will be forced to take extreme decisions,” said a member of IMA-Bengal’s working committee.

–IANS

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