The Supreme Court on Monday warned the doctors in West Bengal, who are protesting over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to return to work by 5 pm of September 10 or the state government will be authorised to take disciplinary action against them.

Hearing a suo moto case initiated by it regarding the RG Kar rape and murder case on Monday, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said that no disciplinary action will be taken against the doctors if they report for duty on or before 5 pm on September 10.

‘Protest cannot be at cost of duty’

“We have given two days. The young doctors must now return and resume work. We know what is happening on the ground… First, return to work.. the District Collectors and the superintendent of police will ensure safety. You have to now return to work and if you do not come to work, do not hold anyone responsible for disciplinary action against you. You cannot say that seniors are working so we will not..” CJI orally said.

The CJI further told the doctors that “protest cannot be at the cost of duty.”

“If doctors do not resume to work then we cannot stop the state government from taking disciplinary action. We want to ensure that doctors resume work. They are in a system to render service. We will provide facilities but they have to reciprocate,” the CJI further said.

“If the doctors report for duty on or before 5 pm tomorrow then no adverse disciplinary action shall be taken against them. All complaints on safety and security shall be promptly attended to. However, if there is continuous abstaining from work then disciplinary action can be taken against them and they cannot be oblivious to the general concerns of the community whom they are intended to serve,” the apex court further said.

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The West Bengal government on Monday assured the Supreme Court that if protesting doctors resume work, no action, including punitive transfer, shall be taken against them.

23 people died, 6 lakh could not get treatment

Appearing for the West Bengal government, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, told the apex court that the state-wide doctors’ protests are being resorted to without taking any prior permission from state authorities.

Sibal further said that around 23 people have died and 6 lakh could not get treatment in West Bengal due to the doctors’ protests.

“23 people have died because they do not work, the health care system can collapse, 6 lakh individuals denied treatments, resident docs not attending OPDs. No angiography for over 1.500 patients. Doctors were asked to go back to work. Now it must be noted that proceedings would be initiated against them if they do not report to work. We set up ‘May I help you booths’ and those booths have been ransacked. Now protests are all over the state. No route or permissions sought from police,” Sibal said.

On August 9, a junior doctor’s body was found raped and murdered in a seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in north Kolkata.

With inputs from agencies.

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Resume work by 5 pm tomorrow or…: SC warns doctors demanding justice for RG Kar rape & murder victim