As many as six students of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) who began a hunger strike for an indefinite…
Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.
As many as six students of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) who began a hunger strike for an indefinite period protesting against the college authorities’ alleged misrule on Tuesday, continued their protest for the second day. They completed 52 hours of their hunger strike on Thursday.
“The protest will go on till the authorities accept our demands,” said Sayantan Mukhuty of final year MBBS. One of the protesting students, Soumyadeep Roy, fainted and was critically ill during the agitation. “His pulse rate was 52 and blood pressure went down to 90/60 around 4 p.m. today(Thursday),” added Mukhuty.
Before falling sick, Soumyadeep said: “I am hungry. No matter what happens to me, I will not end my fast.” Well-known educationist Miratun Nahar visited the protesting students and CMCH authorities on Thursday.
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“There are many MCI rules which CMCH does not follow. The principal’s point of giving mandatory hostel accommodation to first year students according to the MCI rules and because he wants to protect the first year students from ragging is not justified,” said Nahar while talking to the students on Thursday.
The educationist expressed support for the medical students. At the same time she assured them of talking to the higher officials to resolve the matter. But principal Uchhal Bhadra refused to talk to Nahar saying that he does not know her.
Meanwhile, the college authorities on Thursday called up the first year students asking them to shift to the new 11- floored hostel as soon as possible, otherwise they would lose the hostel facility.
Some post graduate students have also shifted to the new hostel along with the freshers. “He has threatened the post graduate and the first year students to shift to the new hostel,” said an agitated final year student.
Principal Bhadra visited the students on fast on Wednesday, asking them to lift their hunger strike. At the same time he accepted the fact that hostel demands of the students are “justified” but said he can do little to help the students at this time.
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