Fake SOS Calls Flood Social Media Claiming Doctor Protest Under Passive Threat; Police Fact Checks

As the junior doctors' protest outside Swastha Bhavan, the state health headquarters, entered its ninth day on Thursday, social media was abuzz with urgent SOS calls. Many netizens alleged that police were forcibly dismantling the tents set up by the protesters in an effort to clear the area. It was also claimed that the police pressured decorators to remove bamboo poles, plastic sheets, and lights, despite the doctors announcing their intention to continue the strike after a meeting with the Chief Secretary on Wednesday. However, the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front quickly fact-checked these claims, stating they were mere rumors and that the removal of tents, fans, and bio-toilets was due to an internal confusion, not police intervention. The police have also issued a statement denying involvement and offered assistance to the protesters if needed.

“After yesterday's meeting with the Chief Secretary at Nabanna, the doctors went back to the various medical colleges to discuss the matter, gather opinions and feedback. Today there wa some confusion at the protest site due to a lower turnout. There was confusion regarding funding, and reports of indirect police pressure on some decorators surfaced. After discussions, these issues have been temporarily resolved. There’s no need to panic,” clarified the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front after these SOS calls surfaced on social media.

On Thursday morning, social media was flooded with SOS calls urging people to rush to the protest site in front of Swastha Bhavan to support the protesting doctors. The messages claimed that police were pressuring decorators to dismantle tents and remove fans and bio-toilets in an attempt to clear the area and end the ongoing protest. Videos surfaced showing decorators taking down tents and loading bio-toilets onto trucks to be removed from the site. The posts conveyed a growing sense of panic, calling for people to stand against what was described as police efforts to suppress the protest movement.

“There are rumors doing rounds that the police have forced the junior doctors to vacate the protest site, or the decorators have been pressurized to take away their wares. I want to categorically emphasise that the police have not forced or pressurized any decorator to dismantle the tents or take away the stand fans. We have also spoken to the junior doctors and they too have said that they haven’t heard anyone say that the police are in any way involved. I also want to mention that if the junior doctors need any help in this regard, we are ready to help them at any time,” said the police.

The junior doctors who were present at the protest site too fact-checked these social media claims and asked the users to verify the facts before posting them. “We heard that the tents are being dismantled and fans are being taken away. Since the meeting with the Chief Secretary, we had left the protest site and some of us had returned to our colleges to conduct our separate meetings, which in turn led to confusion. Many thought that the protest has been called off, and subsequently the decorators stated to take back the bamboo poles, tarpaulins, and other items. I saw several posts on social media, we are now going back to the site,” said Dr Saikat who has also been camping outside the Swastha Bhavan since September 10.

"Since Wednesday night, we've noticed the removal of bamboo poles, tarpaulins, and other items. These were all donated by the public. If someone decides they no longer want to contribute financially, then naturally, the fans and tarpaulins will be taken away from the protest site. We have no issue with that. However, the police are still fully cooperating with us, and there has been no pressure from their side,” said a protesting doctor on condition of anonymity.

The medics have continued with their protests outside the state health department headquarters since September 10. Their cease work that started since August 9 since the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old PGT doctor has lasted for over 40 days and is continuing. The doctors have maintained that their demands must be formally acknowledged before they consider ending their strike.

Following the first meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, the Bengal government announced the removal of Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal and two senior health officials in response to the doctors' demands. On Tuesday, the government appointed IPS Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Police Commissioner of Kolkata, replacing Goyal. Additionally, changes were made within the state health department. However, the doctors did not call off their cease work and persisted with their protest stating that some of their demands remain “unresolved.”

The second round of talks between junior doctors and West Bengal government officials ended without resolution on Wednesday, prompting the medics to continue their cease work, citing safety concerns at government-run hospitals. The doctors expressed dissatisfaction after they did not receive the written minutes of the meeting, leading to their decision to continue with their protests.