'We failed her in life, but...': IMA chief pens heartfelt letter amid protests over Kolkata rape-murder horror
In response to the growing unrest, Dr. RV Asokan, President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), penned a deeply emotional letter, capturing the mood of the nation.
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FollowThe tragic death of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata has sparked nationwide protests and an outpouring of grief among medical professionals. The 32-year-old doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty last week, a heinous crime that has sent shockwaves across the country.
In response to the growing unrest, Dr. RV Asokan, President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), penned a deeply emotional letter, capturing the mood of the nation. "We failed her in life, but we as a nation did not let her down in death," Dr. Asokan wrote, expressing the collective anger, revulsion, and frustration felt by many.
Dr. Asokan highlighted the victim's dedication to her profession, describing her as a tireless worker who was on a 36-hour duty before the incident. He painted a poignant picture of her life, noting that she was the only daughter of lower middle-class parents who have now lost their "meaning and purpose of life." The letter also touched on the eerie silence and fear that gripped the streets following the crime, with only a few youth courageously protesting.
The death of the young doctor has ignited a massive wave of outrage among medical professionals, with Dr. Asokan assuring that the IMA will continue to lead protests across the country. "She had lit a million candles. Thousands of war drums reverberated. Every Indian family lost their daughter. Mothers boiled. Fathers wept silently," he wrote, emphasizing the deep sense of loss felt by the nation.
Dr. Asokan also paid tribute to the residents of the hospital, who have been at the forefront of the protests. "First out were the residents. Next seven days they never slept. Used to 100-hour weeks. Their vigil and firepower the only hope of the nation," he noted, calling their efforts the "Resistance" needed in these trying times.
The IMA president reflected on the organization's history, reminding the nation that the IMA was "born in the fire of the freedom struggle" and remains the "conscience keeper to the profession."
The semi-naked body of the trainee doctor was discovered on the morning of August 9 in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital, a grim reminder of the dangers faced by medical professionals. As the protests continue, the IMA and the medical community at large are determined to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
