'To ensure no adverse action...': CJI requests doctors to return to work amid Kolkata rape-murder hearing

As the Supreme Court convened its hearing on the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, requested the doctors who are currently on strike to return to work.

He also said that the court would pass an order ensuring that no adverse action would be taken against them when they return to work.

CJI said, " Poor people cannot be left to the lurch and doctors must resume to work. We will pass a general order that there will be no victimisation. They must first come back to duty. Resident doctors are young doctors, they should understand and return to work. Public Health Infrastructure must become functional."

CJI also noted that he was aware of the long working hour shifts of doctors and claimed to have experienced it himself. 

He said, "Please assure the doctors that we know they are working for 36 hours...I have personally slept on the floor of a public hospital when one of my family members was not well."

The court also said that the National Task Force will hear all the representatives of all the protesting groups. 

"Committee (National Task Force) will ensure it will hear all representatives. We will reiterate that in our order...Our hearts go out to all those going to Public hospitals. We will make a statement that resident doctors will be heard, you stakes and inputs are very high."

Here are the other top mentions by the court:

"If we start asking representatives of various stakeholders to be part of the committee, then the  work of the committee gets dislocated...We know that the committee has senior women doctors, and they have dedicated life to public health infrastructure...The committee will hear everyone: interns, residents, senior residents, nurses, paramedical staff. The committee will ensure that all representatives are heard."

"The duty is almost 48 hours, then you are neither in a physical or mental state to resist if somebody is teasing you. I am not even going on about serious crimes."