Chandigarh, Aug 18 (PTI) AAP MLAs and leaders visited hospitals in several districts of Punjab and held meetings with doctors on Sunday as the party extended support to the medics’ protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at a hospital in Kolkata.
According to a party statement, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh visited the state-run Rajindra Hospital in Patiala while MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar visited the Amritsar Medical College.
AAP MP Rajkumar Chabbewal visited the Government Hospital in Hoshiarpur and Punjab Minister Baljit Kaur went to GGS Hospital in Faridkot.
All these leaders are doctors by training.
“As a doctor myself, I understand the pain caused by this incident and can empathize with the victim’s family. I extend my heartfelt condolences to them,” Singh said in Patiala and expressed his support for the protesting doctors and medical students.
He said the Punjab government stands firmly with the doctors and medical students, “and we demand that the culprit (behind the Kolkata incident) be brought to justice.” According to the AAP statement, Singh called upon the Centre to enact and implement a law, proposed by the Indian Medical Association in 2019, that, he said, mandates a minimum of six years jail term for sexual violence against female doctors and healthcare workers.
He criticized the Union government “for the delay in passing this law” and questioned their intentions.
The Punjab Minister said doctors cannot perform effectively in an atmosphere of fear and urged the Union government to address the issue urgently by enacting stringent laws.
Baljit Kaur, interacting with doctors and security personnel at GGS Medical Hospital in Faridkot, emphasized that ensuring the safety of female doctors is a key responsibility of the Punjab government.
She assured them that necessary security measures would be put in place in hospitals as required. The Punjab government remains committed to supporting doctors and medical students, Kaur added.
Chabbewal, during his visit to hospitals in Hoshiarpur, stated that discussions were held on security at hospitals.
Nijjar met doctors and security personnel at Amritsar Medical College and said the Punjab government is actively taking concrete steps to ensure the security of female doctors.
A postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata on August 9, triggering protests across the country.
While a civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day, the Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the probe into the crime to the CBI from the Kolkata Police. PTI SUN NSD NSD
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