A wave of outrage and grief has swept across India, prompting medical professionals to launch a 24-hour shutdown of non-emergency services on Saturday. The nationwide protest, organized by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), aims to draw attention to the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata last week.
The doctor was attacked and killed inside the medical college where she worked, sending shockwaves through the medical community and triggering nationwide protests. This tragic incident has drawn parallels to the infamous 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi, which sparked widespread calls for increased safety and justice for women.
The strike, which began at 6 a.m. (0030 GMT), will significantly disrupt access to elective medical procedures and out-patient consultations in India, the world’s most populous nation. However, casualty departments at hospitals, which deal with emergencies, will remain operational.
The IMA President, R. V. Asokan, expressed the collective anger and frustration of the medical community, stating that “Women form the majority of our profession in this country. Time and again, we have asked for safety for them.” The strike is expected to involve over a million medics, demonstrating the widespread concern over the safety of women in India.
The tragic incident and the subsequent strike highlight the urgent need for concrete action to address the issue of violence against women in India. The protests serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for safety and justice for women in the country, urging authorities to take immediate and decisive steps to prevent such heinous crimes from occurring in the future.
