Siliguri, 11th January: Workers from the health wing of the Darjeeling District State Government Employees Federation staged a sit-in protest in front of the superintendent’s office at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital condemning the recent Union Tourism Minister’s comment on the medical system of the city.
It is to be noted that Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C) Prahlad Singh Patel during his visit at NBMCH to meet the 10-year-old rape victim of Kharibari, expressed outrage over the current situation of the hospital. He made a striking comparison saying that a veterinary hospital provides better treatment than NBMCH.
Highly condemning the Union Minister’s statement, the health workers from the Darjeeling District State Government Employees’ Federation observed a one-hour pen-down strike and staged a sit-in protest today.
Ranjan Sarkar said that NBMCH is the pride of North Bengal. And instead of felicitating the health workers for working in the frontline during the pandemic, it was wrong of the minister to make such comments. He demanded an immediate apology from Prahlad Singh Patel.
On the other hand, Anandamoy Barman, general secretary of the Siliguri organizational BJP, termed the protest as a drama. He said that the health system has collapsed across the state. The situation is similar in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. He stated that such drama will not work in the 21st assembly election.