Trinamool Congress to Establish New Health Professionals' Body Following RG Kar Protests
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Synopsis
In the aftermath of protests against a tragic incident involving a junior doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College, the Trinamool Congress plans to create its own health professionals' association, raising questions amid existing groups within the party.
Key Takeaways
- Trinamool Congress to create a new medical association.
- The initiative follows protests over a tragic incident.
- Dr. Sashi Panja likely to lead the new platform.
- Existing doctors' association raises questions on necessity.
- Infighting within Trinamool Congress escalates.
Kolkata, Jan 25 (NationPress) In the wake of widespread protests against the horrific rape and murder of a junior female doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has opted to create its own association that will include representatives from various levels of the medical system in the state.
According to party insiders, the proposed joint association will encompass representatives from both junior and senior doctors, nursing staff, and health workers.
It is likely that Dr. Sashi Panja, the West Bengal minister overseeing women and child development, social welfare, and industry and commerce, will chair this new platform.
Dr. Panja is a medical professional by training. The organization is expected to be called the Progressive Health Association.
This decision has raised questions among political circles regarding the necessity of establishing this new platform, considering that a Trinamool Congress-affiliated doctors' group known as the Progressive Doctors’ Association already exists.
Recently, infighting within the Trinamool Congress, particularly among the party's medical lobby, has become evident following the R.G. Kar incident.
A senior party figure and former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, Dr. Santanu Sen, who has been outspoken regarding the R.G. Kar incident, was suspended from the party and removed from his position as the state government representative on the West Bengal Medical Council.
Dr. Sen, himself a medical practitioner, had previously lost his role as the state spokesperson for the Trinamool Congress.
Since the emergence of the R.G. Kar tragedy, Dr. Sen has been particularly vocal against the former and controversial principal of the institute, Sandip Ghosh.
Rifts between Dr. Sen and the leadership of the Trinamool Congress began to surface at that time, leading to tensions with Sudipto Roy, a fellow medical practitioner and legislator whose office was raided by the ED concerning financial irregularities at R.G. Kar.
