The deadline came and the deadline went.

The doctors chanted slogans and swayed in rhythm in what has by now become a familiar routine.

None of the hundreds who squatted outside Swasthya Bhavan, the Bengal health department headquarters in Salt Lake, expected their leaders to budge. And they did not.

Metro spoke to many, and none of them saw any offence in defying the Supreme Court’s call to return to work.

Snatches of what they said:

Rumelika Kumar

Postgraduate trainee at All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health

We announced our charter of five demands yesterday (see chart). The Supreme Court had said we would have to join duty by 5pm on Tuesday, failing which it said it would not be able to protect us.

The parents of the young doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have said the deputy commissioner (north) of Kolkata Police offered them money. Moreover, a wall was razed near the crime scene. These were all done to wipe out evidence. We want a fair investigation and a speedy trial.

We want to resume work. However, we will not do so till all our demands are met. We will continue our sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhavan

Soumalya Das

Intern at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital

The emergency department at all hospitals is open. Patients are being admitted in all
government hospitals and medical colleges. There is
no ongoing epidemic in the state.

We know very well that the apex court has said that it will not be able to protect us if we don’t join work at 5pm. We are not afraid and even if the authorities stop our stipend, so be it.

Aniket Mahato

Postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and
Hospital

We had given the state time till 5pm. A rot has crept into the medical system and the ranks of Kolkata Police and the state administration. We have seen how the police probe into the rape and murder of a doctor in her own hospital was botched up to keep the real perpetrators of the crime hidden behind a smokescreen.

Officials at Swasthya Bhavan as well as people all over Bengal and the country know what our demands are. If they agree to our demands, we will gladly return to work. Else, the movement will continue.

Shagufta Yasmin

Postgraduate trainee at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

We were forced to carry brooms along with our stethoscopes today. There is a need to clean up the syndicate system prevalent across government-run medical colleges and institutions. The authorities thought that if they managed to suppress facts and tamper with evidence, they would be able to protect the real perpetrators of the crime at RG Kar.

If the government accedes to our demands, we are ready to join work. Till the time our five demands are met, we will continue our sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhavan.

The government can take whatever action they want against us.