Calcutta medical college strike enters 13th day, DME requests students to end stir

“Some students have resorted to symbolic hunger strike for the last few days. I assure the students that appropriate measures are being taken to improve and renovate hostel rooms. I request the students to withdraw their symbolic strike and return to academics and see that health services to people are not hampered,” read the statement issued by Bhattacharya.

Meanwhile, CPM MLA Dr. Sujan Chakraborty met the students and expressed his solidarity. He wrote a letter to CM Mamata Banerjee urging her to solve the issue.

“Their demands are justified. You did manage to meet those who were injured at PM’s rally in Midnapore, but you didn’t feel to meet the students who have been on hunger strike for so long,” read the letter written by Chakraborty to Mamata Banerjee. The Indian Express has a copy of the letter.

The students began their strike on July 10 after the authorities at the 183-year-old state-run medical college notified that the new 11-storey hostel will be allotted only to the freshers. “BJP leader Mukul Roy came to meet us. But we have made it very clear to him that we don’t want to add a political colour to our protest. Roy met the students and left the place in 15 minutes. We have seen the press statement issued by the DME. We have come to know that they would appeal to higher authorities. We are not sure who is above the DME. However, the day they accept our demands, we will withdraw the hunger strike,” Sayantan Mukhuti, a final-year MBBS student said.

BJP leader Mukul Roy wrote a letter to Union health minister J. P. Nadda and Jayshree Mehta, president of the Medical Council of India, requesting their intervention. “I am annoyed and deeply concerned about the health condition of the students who are on hunger strike… . Students have very simple demands… that could be handled sympathetically by the principal and the administration…. The college principal, the state government and the CM (being designated health minister of the state) are careless, non-responsive, non-sympathetic and silent. …I request your interference into the matter…” reads the letter.