Agitating junior doctors continued to spar with the State Government over conditions to engage in talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which the Government rejected, insisting on talks “without preconditions”. The junior doctors are pressing for justice for a young medical student who was raped and murdered at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
State minister Chandrima Bhattacharya alleged that the fact that the agitating doctors had sent an email to the Chief Minister’s Office at 3:50 am laying down their pre-conditions pointed to the “political nature” of the protests. The doctors’ rejected the charge.
The protesting junior doctors had shared their list of five demands in an email sent to the state government. “Those creating trouble in justice should be asked to resign. Elections should be conducted, college counsel should be given recognition, and elected representatives should be part of it and not ‘selected’ representatives”.
The junior doctors maintained their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the State Health Department’s headquarters, for a second day, demanding the removal of the Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior Health Department officials from their positions.
Earlier in the day, the West Bengal Government had invited 12-15 representatives of junior doctors for talks at State secretariat Nabanna by 6 pm. Protesting doctors claimed that the Chief Secretary’s invite sent in the afternoon inviting them for talks did not mention about Mamata Banerjee’s presence during the proposed meeting. The doctors continued to insist on holding a face-to-face discussion with the Chief Minister which would have to be telecast live “in the interests of transparency”.
“Once again, as another opportunity, we invite your delegation preferably consisting of 12-15 colleagues to join us for a discussion at 6 pm today, i.e. 11.09.2024, at Nabanna. A list of the members of your delegation may please be intimated by email,” said a communication from the State Government sent by the Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Wednesday afternoon.
Responding to the Chief Secretary’s invite for a meeting, the protesting junior doctors demanded at least a 30-member delegation to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “There are 26 State Government colleges in West Bengal. We want at least one representative from each college to be present,” said Kinjal Nanda, one of the striking doctors.
Other demands of the doctors include a discussion on their five-point demand in presence of the Chief Minister and live streaming of their meeting for the sake of “transparency”.
After declining the Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam’s invite on Tuesday, the agitating junior doctors had sought a meeting with the Chief Minister to discuss their demands and resolve the impasse. They declined yesterday’s invite for a meeting from the Health Secretary claiming the email invite felt “insulting”.
On Monday, at a press conference, Mamata Banerjee had invited the junior doctors for a meeting at the State secretariat to address the issue. State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the Chief Minister was waiting, but a protesting doctor called the email an “insult,” citing their demand for Nigam’s resignation and the limit on representation.
Despite the Supreme Court’s directive to resume duties by 5 pm on September 10, protesting junior doctors in Kolkata continued their strike for the 33rd day on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court on Monday had directed doctors on strike to resume work today at 5 pm, assuring them that they would not face any adverse actions, including punitive transfers. However, they also warned that if doctors did not return to work, they could not be held responsible for any actions taken against them. The Trinamool Congress also hailed the court’s judgement
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has called a review meeting on September 12 with principals, directors and medical superintendents from all State-run medical colleges and hospitals. All police commissioners and district magistrates have also been invited.
The agitating doctors also slammed senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the West Bengal Government, for presenting “false and concocted information” before a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
On Monday, Sibal had presented a status report prepared by the State Health Department. “A status report has been filed. The State Health Department has filed a report. Twenty-three people have died as doctors are on strike,” Sibal told the bench
Reacting to the stand-off between agitating junior doctors and the State Government, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary termed the protest as “historic”. “We are supporting them and are fighting for them. This is historic, the world will remember it”, he said.
The ruling Trinamool Congress claimed the ongoing junior doctors protest has affected patients access to critical care across hospitals. “A month after the R G Kar tragedy, confusion clouds the minds of countless patients. The cease-work by junior doctors has left vulnerable people unsure about access to critical care. Those already battling illness are now being turned away by hospitals meant to be their last hope”, the party posted on X.
Another Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabir threatened that “people would soon hit the streets protesting against the doctors’ stir and therefore, he would not be able to guarantee the safety of doctors.”