'.. strictest possible punishment..', 70 Padma awardees write to PM Modi over Kolkata rape and murder case

'.. strictest possible punishment..', 70 Padma awardees write to PM Modi over Kolkata rape and murder case

durgesh dubey
19 Aug, 2024

Kolkata

In Delhi, Padma Awardee Dr Harsh Mahajan explained stance on the 70 Padma Awardee doctors writing to PM Modi over Kolkata rape and murder incident.

Padma Awardee Dr Harsh Mahajan stated,"Over 70 of us, Padma Awardees who have been honoured by the government over the last few decades got together and have written to PM Modi to take personal interest in this matter and to see that the culprits are brought to book and get the strictest possible punishment. Also, we have requested a new separate law for the protection of doctors, healthcare professionals and healthcare institutions be brought in so that no one dares to even talk or do verbal abuse against healthcare professionals and healthcare workers..."

At least 70 Padma awardees have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to personally intervene in the case of the brutal rape and murder of a resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. The letter, sent on Sunday, expresses deep concern and anguish over the incident, calling for immediate action to ensure justice. "We… write to you with deep concern and profound anguish regarding the horrific events that recently occurred at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. As the head of our nation, we implore your immediate and personal intervention to address this alarming situation. Such acts of brutality shake the very foundations of service by medical professionals and highlight the urgent need to address violence, particularly against women, girls, and health care professionals," the letter states. Among the signatories are prominent figures in the medical field, including Dr. Ashok Seth, chairman of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute; Dr. Randeep Guleria, former director of AIIMS Delhi; Dr. Harsh Mahajan, founder of Mahajan Imaging; Dr. SK Sarin, director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences; Dr. Nikhil Tandon, head of endocrinology at AIIMS Delhi; and Dr. Randhir Sud, chairman of the Institute of Digestive and Hepatobiliary Sciences at Medanta The Medicity. The doctors outlined five key demands in their letter: stricter enforcement of existing laws, harsher and time-bound punishments for perpetrators of sexual violence, enhanced safety measures in hospitals, enactment of a special law for the protection of healthcare workers, and the harshest possible penalties for violence against medical professionals. Dr. Mahajan, one of the signatories, emphasized the unity of the medical fraternity in their demand for justice, stating, "The entire medical fraternity is united in this, and we also stand in solidarity. It was decided to convey our sentiments and opinion to the highest authority." The letter also expresses unwavering support for the victim’s family and the broader medical community, who are increasingly facing violence in the course of their work. The doctors stressed that the safety and dignity of healthcare professionals must be prioritized. Expressing their solidarity with the family of the junior doctor who was tragically raped and murdered, the Padma awardee doctors have urged Prime Minister Modi to address this "alarming situation" and expedite the implementation of protective measures for healthcare workers amidst ongoing protests by doctors across the country.