Kolkata: Kolkata Mayor and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim's daughter Shabba Hakim, a doctor, has come up with strong criticism of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's handling of the ongoing doctors' strike and said doctors have the right to "peaceful protest" and "safety at work.
In a Facebook post, Shabba Hakim asked people to question why "goons were still surrounding hospitals and beating up doctors".
"As a TMC supporter I am deeply ashamed at the inaction and the silence of our leader," Shabba Hakim said on the social networking site close to Wednesday-Thursday midnight.
Till then Banerjee had remained silent on the issue.
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"For those saying Ono Rugider ki dosh? Please question the government as in why the police officers posted in government hospitals do little to nothing to protect doctors? Please question them that when 2 truckload of goon showed up why wasn’t back up sent immediately?" Hakim asked. "Please question why goons are still surrounding hospitals and beating up doctors?"
"We have a right to peaceful protest. We have a right to safety at work," she added.
Several doctors in Delhi have decided to boycott work to express unity with their colleagues in Kolkata who were allegedly attacked by a 200-strong mob on Monday night. A junior doctor was left with a fractured skull during the clashes between doctors at the NRS Medical College and the mob.
The clashes were triggered by the death of a 75-year-old patient. The family alleged that he died due to medical negligence and thronged the hospital at night, attacking the resident doctors.
The widespread protests with its centre stage at NRS have now spread across West Bengal while Delhi and Mumbai doctors also joining them a day after Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee issuing an ultimatum in Kolkata.