A day after doctors in West Bengal and other parts of the country called off their strike, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 18 June, deferred hearing a plea seeking safety and security for doctors at government hospitals.
“Since the strike has been called off in the state of West Bengal by the doctors and there being no urgency, the matter is listed after vacation before the appropriate bench,” a vacation bench comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant said.
On Monday, 17 June, doctors in West Bengal called off their week-long strike after meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee after the state government assured doctors of adequate security at government hospitals.
The protest had erupted after two doctors were attacked at NRSMCH by a patient’s kin on 10 June.
(Catch all the live updates on doctors’ protest in West Bengal here.)
Following the incident, on 15 June, a PIL sought directions to Centre and West Bengal government to depute security personnel at all state-run hospitals. The case was listed as an "urgent matter."
‘Meeting With CM Met Logical End,’ Doctors After Ending Strike
A spokesperson of the joint forum of doctors told reporters that doctors will return to work as they want to give the state government some time to implement their promises.
“Our meeting and discussion with the CM met a logical end. We temporarily withdraw from our ceasework. Considering everything, we expect the government to solve the issues as discussed in due time,” the spokesperson said after a meeting of the governing body at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital.
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