A group of senior government doctors in Raiganj is giving prescriptions with stickers or stamps that demand justice for the family of the junior physician who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta on August 9.

The unique initiative by members of the Association of Health Service Doctors (AHSD), West Bengal, comes amid widespread protests in the state following the August 9 tragedy. The association represents doctors at government-run medical facilities.

The doctors associated with the Raiganj Medical College and Hospital and other state-run hospitals in North Dinajpur district hand out the prescriptions to patients in their private chambers.

“People from different walks of life have supported the demand for justice and have held rallies and other forms of protests. We want the demand to be alive and people should continue to press for justice. That is why some senior doctors are giving prescriptions with stamps or stickers that demand justice for the victim’s family,” said Debabrata Ray, the secretary of the Raiganj branch of the AHSD.

Another senior doctor posted at the medical college here pointed out that on one hand, they were providing service to people. “On the other hand, we want to show that we are not letting our tone down,” he added.

Junior doctors at government-run medical colleges across the state have been on cease-work in protest against the August 9 incident. Services are hit at the state-run health institutions because of the shortage of doctors.

“In such a situation, senior doctors are working for additional hours to handle the situation. They are supporting the movement and simultaneously, taking care of patients. It is a unique form of protest that some senior doctors have taken in Raiganj,” said a doctor who works at a private nursing home in Raiganj.

A prescription given by Dr Debabrata Ray bore a red stamp that carried a couplet in Bengali “R G Kar: bichar chai/oporadh chakrer binash chai (Justice for RG Kar/ the crime syndicates should perish)”, with the message “WE WANT JUSTICE” written in English in the middle.

Residents of Raiganj have welcomed the doctors’ move. “A couple of days ago, I had been to a doctor’s. The doctor wrote a prescription and then put a sticker in its corner. I was a bit surprised but later appreciated him and assured him that I support their demand for justice,” said Mousumi Chakraborty, a Raiganj resident.

Representatives of the AHSD said they were also encouraging other doctors to join the drive. “If they want, we are ready to send them stamps and stickers so that they, too, can put those on their prescriptions and express solidarity with agitations,” said Ray.