Kolkata, 8 Oct

Around 50 senior doctors of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital here on Tuesday tendered their resignations in a mark of solidarity with medics who have been on fast-unto-death demanding justice for the deceased woman doctor, sources in the health facility said.

The decision to resign en masse was taken at a meeting of the heads of various departments of the state-run hospital on Tuesday morning, they said. “This has been decided at today’s (Tuesday) meeting of the HoDs. All 50 senior doctors of our hospital have signed their resignation letters. This is to express our solidarity towards those young doctors who are fighting for a cause,” a senior doctor told PTI.

Senior doctors at NRS Medical College and Hospital were also mulling to follow the footsteps of their colleagues in the RG Kar hospital, he said.

The Joint Platform of Doctors, West Bengal pledged solidarity with the junior medics who have been demanding justice for the rape and murder of the woman doctor of RG Kar hospital and an end to the "corruption-ridden" healthcare system.

While junior doctors have been on fast-unto-death for the last four days voicing their demands, there has been "no response from the appropriate authority to solve the issues", a statement issued by the platform said.

The doctor's platform also voiced concern over the health condition of those who are on the fast-unto-death and said they are fighting for “campus democracy and patient-friendly system". "In this situation, we will stand in solidarity," the statement added.