Swasthya Bhawan witnessed an outrage on Tuesday after a change in hospital postings for doctors who were prominent faces during the R G Kar protests among others.
Following Monday’s release of a list of 778 doctors, Dr Debashish Halder, who had been merit-allotted to Howrah District Hospital through counselling on February 27, 2025, discovered his bond allotment “uniquely altered” to Gazole Hospital in Malda in the final list.
On Tuesday, another list of 800 senior doctors was released. Dr Aniket Mahato, initially merit-allotted to R.G. Kar Medical College, was ultimately assigned to Raiganj Medical College. Meanwhile, Dr Asfakulla Nayak, who was allotted Arambagh Medical College, found his posting changed to Purulia Medical College and Hospital.
Dr Halder, Dr Mahato, and Dr Nayak were all active participants in the protests following the R.G. Kar rape and murder case. The alterations to their postings have ignited accusations of “punitive action”.
Meanwhile, a senior official said, “If anyone has any problem with their posting, they can submit it in a written format. The Government is the authority and they can send them anywhere based on vacancies.”
Following the order, a number of junior doctors reached Swasthya Bhawan demanding a meeting with Health Secretary N S Nigam. However, Nigam left without meeting them, leading to the doctors resorting to a sit-in protest.
The West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF) claims that out of the 778 doctors mentioned on Monday’s list, only Dr Halder’s posting was changed. The forum condemned what they termed the Senior Resident in Anaesthesiology’s “targeted and illegal” transfer to a location where “no post was officially declared vacant during the counselling process.”
“This move is clearly punitive and politically motivated,” stated the WBDF, drawing a direct link between the transfer and Dr. Halder’s prominent role in the protests for justice following the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, 2024.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Halder said, “I did MBBS in 2023; I am a Senior Resident. I am serving bond posting in Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. The merit list is prepared on the basis of the MD results and after counselling, another two years’ bond posting is given. I was allotted Howrah District Hospital. Suddenly, yesterday (Monday), a notice was issued to send me to Gazole in Malda. It is totally vindictive in nature. If they say Malda needs a doctor, they should have allotted Malda first. Earlier, during our counselling, it was told that the Malda hospital had no vacancy.”
In a formal email addressed to Health Secretary N S Nigam, Dr Koushik Chaki, President of the WBDF, expressed deep concern and strong objection to the “unilateral and unexplained” change in Dr Halder’s posting. Dr Chaki called the timing and nature of the transfer “strongly (suggestive of) punitive intent and administrative overreach”. The letter claims that the action potentially violates the Supreme Court’s interim directions against coercive action on medical professionals who participated in the protests.
The WBDF demanded the reinstatement of Dr Halder and a “formal, written explanation” from the Health department, as well as an “end to the misuse of postings as instruments of fear and punishment, and reaffirmation of the integrity and transparency of the counselling system”.
“It is not about posting, it is about how the merit list counselling-based system can be compromised. We are resident doctors, not employees, so wherever they send us we are ready to serve, but this is very doubtful and not transparent,” said a doctor on condition of anonymity.