Hyderabad: From white to black, docs’ chorus gets shriller in city

Hyderabad: The white coat professionals adorned black dresses on Sunday at Indira Park as part of their protest against the rape-murder of medico in Kolkata.

Doctors and other professionals came forward to protest at the Dharna Chowk in solidarity with the medico. The large-scale protest was taken up by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Telangana Public Health Doctors’ Association (TPHDA), the Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (T-JUDA), and the and the Telangana Teaching Doctors’ Association (TTGDA).

Congress MP Dr Kadiyam Kavya attended the programme to express solidarity with doctors. She said that as a woman doctor as well as a public representative, she would bring the issue to the government’s attention and promised to support medical students until the issue was resolved. Later, BJP MP Eatala Rajender said that as medical students, doctors, and health staff were providing services to the poor even in the most vulnerable situations with limited facilities and saving their lives, it was the responsibility of civil society to protect such people and also remember that governments have the minimum responsibility to provide them with safety and facilities. They also demanded the execution of the accused in the case.

A large number of medical students from all colleges joined the protest under the auspices of the Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (T-JUDA). They warned that if the government does not respond, the protest will intensify. IMA State President Dr Kali Prasad said it was a shame for the country that such incidents were happening without even the minimum security for women doctors and medical staff. He demanded the government bring in the Central Protection Act immediately to avoid the recurrence of such incidents. If not, he warned that protest programmes would be launched in various forms. Dr Prasad said that he will support the legal struggle of junior doctors.

TPHDA president Dr Kathi Janardan said the call by IMA was successful. He said T-JUDA and IMA would fully support this legal struggle.