After objections by Supreme Court, West Bengal govt. removes provisions in Ratri Sathi initiative

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s remarks that the new police recruits will undergo training and duty at the same time has sparked controversy

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (September 26, 2024), said that her government has removed provisions in the ‘Ratri Sathi ( Helpers of the night)‘ initiative which were objected to by the Supreme Court.

“We are working on the implementation of Ratri Sathi except the ones which the Supreme Court raised objections to,” the Chief Minister said. During the hearing in the Supreme Court on September 17, a three judge bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud had directed the State government to do away with provisions of the initiative to restrict women doctors to 12-hour shifts and take no night duty at hospitals.

The Court had also questioned the State government initiative of deploying contractual staff for Ratri Sathi initiative, pointing out that the accused in the rape and murder of the victim at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital was a contractual worker. The Kolkata Police has arrested Sanjay Roy, a civic police volunteer for the rape and murder of the doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. 

Meanwhile, a fresh announcement by the Chief Minister about the appointment of about 12,000 police personnel sparked fresh controversy. Ms. Banerjee said that the police personnel who will be appointed fresh will be undertaking training and engaged in duty at the same time. “We do not have enough staff. Just like junior doctors who treat patients and study at the same time, the police will be doing the same,” the Chief Minister said. This move sparked controversy with experts saying that policemen who do not have training cannot provide security to doctors.

 The Ratri Sathi initiative announced by the West Bengal government on August 19, was aimed to provide security to people particularly women engaged in working hours at night after the gruesome crime in the State run hospital.

During the day Ms. Banerjee held a meeting with senior officials of the State Health department including principals of all medical colleges and hospitals. The Chief Minister said that she has directed principals of medical colleges and hospitals to spend the money allocated for upgradation of facilities and not to wait for the State’s Public Welfare Department. 

 The State government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the upgrade of infrastructure in the state run hospitals and medical colleges in the State after the body of the female doctor was found in the seminar room of R G Kar MCH. Ms. Banerjee said that the former Director General of State Police Surajit Kar Purkayastha is looking after security audits of all medical colleges in the State.

Meanwhile, five days after returning to work the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) has written to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant alleging that no action has been taken and no order has been passed in regard to some of the important demands placed and agreed upon.

“We now find that though some of the deliberations and demands put forward by us have been met, many of our crucial demands are simply not responded to till now. We urge the State Government to act fast on the aforesaid demands and issue special directive to appropriate authorities as those demands were also verbally agreed upon,” an email sent by the WBJDF on Wednesday said. 

The doctors highlighted that their demands such as a central enquiry committee for disciplinary proceedings against the alleged perpetrators involved in threat culture in all medical colleges and college level enquiry committee have not been looked into.

In another development the Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit to the court on the alleged “threat culture” in different medical colleges and hospitals in the state.

A division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Bivas Pattanayak also observed that if the allegations of such a “threat culture” going on in medical colleges, where the junior doctors are becoming the victims, is true, then, the matter is quite serious. The junior doctors have been alleging of a ‘threat culture’ prevalent in several state run health facilities of the State. 

EOM

Published - September 27, 2024 07:28 am IST