Kolkata sexual assault case: IMA announces nationwide strike on Aug 17, demands safety for healthcare workers

All outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries in corporate, private, and government hospitals in India would be suspended due to a nationwide strike on August 17. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) issued a call to action in response to the horrifying rape and murder of a medical student in training in Kolkata.

The incident has sparked national indignation, leading residents and junior doctors to resign from their positions in protest.

The IMA convened an emergency meeting with its state branches, responding to the violent midnight assault on protesting residents and junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.

The attack, carried out by a mob, resulted in a surge of anger among medical professionals. The IMA assured that despite the strike, casualty and emergency services will remain operational in all hospitals, ensuring that critical care continues uninterrupted.

Dr. R.V. Asokan, National President of the IMA, emphasized that doctors in corporate hospitals are also urged to join the strike. They are requested to cease OPD and elective surgical services from 6 am on Aug 17 to 6 am on Aug 18.

"We want the government to declare hospitals as safe zones and bring the Central Protection Act for healthcare workers," said Dr. Asokan.

The IMA, which represents the largest collective of doctors in India with a membership of 3.5 lakhs, has declared the strike in response to the relentless protests by resident and junior doctors, interns, and medical students.

These protests have persisted for four days following the disturbing visuals of the Kolkata hospital attack shared on social media. The IMA's statement condemned the vandalism, describing it as a sign of "anarchy."

Dr. Rakesh Bagdi Gurjar, a senior resident at AIIMS Delhi, expressed his dismay on social media, criticizing the government’s response to the attacks and highlighting the lack of police intervention.

“Is this independence?” he posted.

His post, referencing India's 78th Independence Day, reflected the sentiments of many doctors who are deeply disturbed by the ongoing violence and perceived lack of protection.

The violent incident at RG Kar Hospital, where doctors were forced to hide inside the facility, intensified the protests. Videos of these doctors pleading for their safety spread online, amplifying the anger among medical professionals.

This led the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) to reverse its earlier decision to end their strike after receiving a verbal assurance from Union Health Minister J P Nadda regarding the Central Protection Act. The federation has now resumed the strike with increased determination and announced a candle march scheduled for August 16.

The decision by FORDA to call off the strike had been met with widespread criticism from resident doctors' associations across several hospitals, including the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

In response to the backlash, these associations severed their ties with FORDA and continued their indefinite strike. The Joint Forum of Resident Doctors Associations of Delhi also announced a protest march outside Nirman Bhavan, which houses the offices of the union health ministry and the health minister, on August 16.

Dr. Rohan Krishnan, the Federation of All India Medical Association’s (FAIMA) national chairman, confirmed that the indefinite suspension of elective medical services will continue nationwide. Additionally, a peaceful march is planned for August 17 to further amplify their demands.

The protest has not been confined to India; images of a demonstration in Times Square, New York, against the atrocity have gone viral on social media. Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, national council coordinator of the Indian Medical Association-Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN), shared this global reaction on X, stating, “The world has their eyes on RG Kar.”

In addition to the nationwide strike on August 17, several states, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, and some associations in Telangana, have announced a complete shutdown of both essential and non-essential services.’

Resident doctors across the country are continuing their protests, which include processions, banner waving, slogan-shouting, and candlelight marches, despite challenging weather conditions.

The collective action by India’s medical community underscores their demand for stronger protections and greater government action in response to violence against healthcare workers.

On the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) meeting regarding the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder incident, DMA President Dr. Girish Tyagi said, "This is a very shameful incident. DMA stands with the victim and her family. A candle march will be taken out at India Gate on Aug 16 at 5 pm. A strike has been called from 6 am on Aug 17 to 6 am the next day, that is, for 24 hours. We are with the resident doctors, as they are not getting the proper working conditions. In the next phase of the strike, emergency services will also be included in it.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "As far as the information I have, I will not blame the students. The incident is very unfortunate; we still say that they should be hung. We have given all the documents; till the time our police were investigating, nothing was leaked. My and the people of Bengal's condolences are with the victim's family. This is a very big crime, and the only punishment for it is that the accused should be hung; if the culprit is hung, then only people will learn a lesson from it, but no innocent should be punished."

"The people who vandalized RG Kar Hospital and created this ruckus are not connected to the student movement of RG Kar Medical College; they are outsiders. I have seen as many videos; I have three videos as I can see, in which some people are holding national flags, they are BJP people, and some are DYFI people, holding white and red flags."

Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Left is in connivance with the Ram (the Bharatiya Janata party) to create unrest in West Bengal. "Left and Ram want to create unrest in Bengal, and they both have come together to do this," she said while referring to the vandalism at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shantanu Sen said, "Whatever incident has happened, everyone has condemned it. The CM has come forward and said that it should be investigated in the Fast Track Court. There should be capital punishment for this. We are praying to the CBI to find out all the culprits as soon as possible."

TMC leader Shatrugan Sinha defended Mamata amid backlash and said, “There is only one woman CM in the entire country, and we talk about women empowerment. Mamata Banerjee is a woman of substance, and she has struggled a lot to reach this position. She proved herself as a successful leader. The entire country is proud of her.”

Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal said, “Further, I request you to ensure full cooperation with the CBI so that proper investigation is done in the matter and justice is meted out to the family. The government must also fix the accountability of those in power who tried to cover up the matter and save the accused.”

Union Minister Chirag Paswan said, "Such incidents cannot be accepted in any civilized society, no matter which state it is in, under the rule of any government. Strict action should be taken in his matter. I feel sad when such topics are politicized... The way thousands of anti-social elements went to the spot late last night and vandalized it, was it under any conspiracy? Was it to destroy any evidence? Was it to save someone or to implicate someone? These things are a matter of investigation.”

“I am surprised that where there is a woman Chief Minister, such an incident happens and she is silent; all her women MPs are silent... This incident is reprehensible and shameful; what all the doctors there are saying should be heard... This is not just a matter related to one area; it is a matter of women's safety on which every government needs to work sensitively,” he continued.

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor said, “Another brutal rape. Another day of realization that women are not safe, anywhere. Another horrific atrocity to remind us that it's been over a decade since the Nirbhaya tragedy, but still nothing much has changed.”

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta wrote on social media, “We are the fifth largest economy in the world. This election saw about 66 percent voter turnout, with women voters projected to outnumber men in future elections. I am sorry to every girl that has been wronged. I'm sorry I didn't fight hard enough for you in the past. BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan posted on social media, "Yes, we need to evolve into a society where we all feel equally safe. But that is going to take decades. It’s going to hopefully happen with sensitizing and empowering our sons and daughters. The next generation will be better. We will get there. Eventually. But what in the interim? Right now, justice would be to put a hard stop to such atrocities. And the only way to do that is a punishment so harsh that it scares the living daylights out of such perpetrators. That’s what we need. Perhaps? I stand with the victim's family in seeking justice for their daughter, and I stand with all the doctors that were attacked last night.”

Genelia Deshmukh has been especially outspoken, calling for capital punishment for the perpetrators. On her X (formerly Twitter) account, Deshmukh wrote, "Monsters need to be hanged!!! Just reading what the victim went through sent chills up my spine. A woman, a lifesaver who was on duty, faced this horror in the seminar hall. My heart goes out to the family and her loved ones; I can't even imagine how they are facing this tragedy."

Spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, said, "A very unpleasant incident has occurred in the recent days that shows the amount of frustration and lack of morality ethics in the society. But at the same time, you see, Navaratri is going to come, and women are going to be there. People are dancing and they are partying. All that is happening. But there are pockets in this country that are still not very safe. Unfortunately, they have to deal with an iron fist very strongly, and one should condemn any such atrocity on women, children, or elderly people. It's very serious.”

“We have to take it up because we can't allow the culture of the society to go down the wrong path. The culture of the society diminished, and a culture of violence took over what had not been part of India. For millennia, a lot of awareness needs to be created and a lot of work needs to be done. Also, you can't imagine in India when doctors are peacefully demonstrating; they are there to save the lives of the people, and they have been attacked... This shows such a lack of awareness. Let me tell the medical community in this whole country and the world that we are with you. Our solidarity is with you all," he added.