West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Thursday issued a renewed appeal to junior doctors protesting over the alleged rape and murder of a female doctor, urging them to attend a 5 PM meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Despite the government’s efforts to resolve the ongoing strike, the state has rejected the doctors’ demand for a live telecast of the meeting but has agreed to allow the discussion to be recorded for transparency purposes.
CM Mamata Banerjee Invites RG Kar Protesters For Talks; No Live-Streaming Allowed
In his official letter, Pant confirmed that the delegation for the meeting would be limited to 15 doctors and assured that the proceedings would be accurately documented. “The meeting shall not be live telecast. However, the same can be recorded to maintain transparency. This will serve the purpose intended from your end, while also maintaining the sanctity of the proceedings,” the Chief Secretary stated.
Protests Continue Over Alleged Rape and Murder of Doctor
The junior doctors have been staging a sit-in protest for 34 days outside the West Bengal Health Department’s office in Salt Lake, demanding justice for their colleague, whose body was found with injuries on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College. The prolonged agitation has severely disrupted healthcare services at state-run hospitals across the state.
Despite the government’s invitation for talks on Wednesday, the protesting doctors had previously insisted on two conditions for the meeting: the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a live broadcast of the discussion. The doctors have also made several demands, including increased security for female healthcare workers and the suspension of key officials, such as the Kolkata Police Commissioner, for alleged mismanagement of the investigation.
Government’s Response and Doctors’ Demands
In response to the state’s decision, one protesting doctor told PTI, “We will continue our agitation and ‘cease work’. But, we did not want to continue this. The state government is not open to holding any meeting with us. And, we want to make it clear that there is no politics behind our stir.”
The investigation into the tragic death of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has now been taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following orders from the Calcutta High Court. The junior doctors continue to call for swift justice and improvements in security for female healthcare professionals.
As the healthcare crisis deepens, all eyes are on the outcome of the scheduled meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee, which is expected to be a crucial step toward resolving the deadlock between the state government and the protesting doctors.