Removal of New Principal from Post at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital

The government’s decision was prompted by a meeting between officials at the Swasthya Bhavan and a delegation of students. The medical students had staged a footmarch from the CGO Complex to Swasthya Bhavan, where they demanded the removal of the new principal. The protesting doctors also supported this demand. The government’s transfer of the new principal is perceived as a concession, as she was appointed to the position on August 12, the same day Sandip Ghosh was transferred from RG Kar to Calcutta’s National Medical College.

This move faced criticism from the Calcutta High Court and led to an escalation of student protests that began after the rape-murder of a young doctor on August 9, and drew the attention of the Supreme Court. Similar to Sandip Ghosh at the National Medical College, Suhrita Paul did not gain the acceptance of protesting students. Just three days after her appointment, she had a confrontation with them. Following a midnight vandalism incident at the hospital on August 15, Suhrita Paul became angered with the students.

In response to the protesting doctors’ demands for immediate action regarding the midnight mob attack and their other demands, Ms. Paul responded by saying, “If you can’t trust me for one hour then send me home also. I need one hour to do some official work. You need to believe me, I won’t go. You have to believe me.

If you can’t believe me then don’t expect anything from me.” The protesting doctors have expressed their refusal to back down until their demands are met.