India’s Supreme Court has ordered all doctors protesting over the rape and murder of a female medic last month to resume work by Tuesday, warning of potential “adverse action” if they fail to comply. The directive comes after hundreds of doctors nationwide have stayed off work, demanding justice for the woman whose body was found on August 9 in a classroom at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, where she was a trainee.
A police volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime, and federal police recently arrested the former principal of the college for alleged corruption. The protesting doctors are also demanding better amenities in government-run hospitals, citing a lack of security and basic infrastructure such as resting spaces for staff.
The Supreme Court assured that no adverse action would be taken against doctors who returned to work by Tuesday evening. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, leading a three-judge bench, emphasized that resident doctors must not ignore the needs of the general community they serve. The court also directed the West Bengal government to address the doctors’ concerns by providing separate duty rooms and toilets for male and female personnel and installing CCTV cameras.
The incident has sparked demonstrations beyond India’s borders, with thousands of diaspora Indians protesting in over 130 cities across 25 countries, including Japan, Australia, Europe, and the US. The Supreme Court had previously taken up the matter independently following public outrage and formed a hospital safety task force to recommend measures for ensuring the safety of medical workers.
Women’s rights activists argue that this incident highlights the ongoing issue of sexual violence against women in India, despite the introduction of tougher laws following the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a woman in a moving bus in Delhi.
