Doctors’ protest over Kolkata rape and murder case intensifies. What are their demands?

The outrage over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital on August 9 has continued, with the protesters demanding death penalty for the accused and passing of the Central Protection Act, 2022, to provide protection to health workers and hospitals.  

On Friday, doctors protested across the country, including the national capital. At noon, thousands of doctors gathered outside Delhi’s Nirman Bhawan to raise slogans in protest and said that Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda must meet them and introduce strict laws for the safety of doctors and women.

The protest continued despite intermittent rain. Newslaundry spoke to several protesting doctors and representatives of the doctors’ delegation that met government officials, who said they will protest indefinitely until their demands are met.

The law demanded by the doctors provides for the arrest without warrant of the accused involved in violence against health workers, punishment of up to five years imprisonment, and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh.  

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