WB govt not ready to accept conditions for meeting, doctors must resume duties, says minister
KOLKATA, Sep 11: The West Bengal government has invited the junior doctors, who have been on a cease work for over a month, to a meeting to resolve the standoff over the alleged rape-murder of a woman medic, with the doctors insisting that the discussion be held in Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s presence and broadcast live.
The government’s invitation, sent via email at 3:49 am on Wednesday, proposed a discussion at the state secretariat, Nabanna, at 6 pm the same day.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members to the meeting and indicated that a positive response would be appreciated.
The invitation did not confirm whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be present.
Pant’s letter also addressed the doctors’ defiance of a Supreme Court order to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday. Despite the invitation, the junior doctors set few pre-conditions for talks.
“There are several points that need to be discussed before we decide whether to accept the invitation to Nabanna or not,” one of the doctors said.
Around 5:23 PM, the agitating doctors said the delegation must include at least 30 representatives as several medical colleges and hospitals are involved in the agitation.
“We want the discussion to be held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and be telecast live.”
“We want at least 30 representatives as this movement is spread across various medical colleges and hospitals,” a member of the junior doctors’ forum said at a press conference.
The doctors said even if they go to the meeting, “they will attend it without any pre-conclusion.”
“If we attend the meeting, we will come back and discuss it with our friends and then announce our decision,” the junior doctor said.
In a separate communication earlier in the day, the agitating doctors reached out to Banerjee, requesting a meeting that could be held “anytime and anywhere,” provided it is streamed live.
The doctors have been protesting outside Swathya Bhavan, the state health department headquarters, demanding the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, the state health secretary, the director of health education, and the director of health services.
They also called for enhanced security measures for women health professionals and the suspension of Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Hospital, along with others allegedly involved in tampering with evidence.
The protest has entered its 33rd day as the doctors continue to demand justice for Abhaya, the postgraduate trainee whose body was discovered at RG Kar Hospital on August 9.
WB govt dismisses doctors’ precondition
The West Bengal government on Wednesday rejected junior doctors’ demands for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s presence and a live broadcast as pre-conditions for talks to resolve the month-long ‘cease work’ and standoff over the alleged rape-murder of a woman medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Amid the 33rd day of protests and a sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan for the second day, Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya said the government remains open to discussions but suggested that “political forces” might be influencing the protests.
This led to a quick rebuttal from the medics, who dismissed the claims as baseless.
The minister urged the doctors to rejoin work by respecting the Supreme Court’s direction to them, but refrained from giving a direct reply on whether the state government would take any punitive action for violating the apex court’s order.
Meanwhile, TMC leaders and MLAs issued veiled threats to the agitating junior doctors by calling them “anti-nationals” and saying the party too might conduct counter-protests against the agitating medics. (PTI)