Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: The West Bengal government has turned down demands from protesting doctors for a direct meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, prolonging the month-long standoff following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The doctors had called for a live broadcast of the meeting and the inclusion of a 30-member delegation to represent them.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, West Bengal Health Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya expressed the government’s openness to dialogue but suggested that “political forces” might be influencing the ongoing protests. The doctors, however, dismissed the minister’s claims as unfounded and vowed to continue their agitation until their demands were fully addressed.
On Tuesday, the government had invited the protesting doctors to a meeting at Nabanna, the state secretariat, with a request to limit the delegation to 12 to 15 members, in line with a recent Supreme Court order instructing the doctors to resume their duties by the evening of September 10. However, it remained uncertain whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would attend the proposed meeting.
Rejecting the doctors’ demands, Health Minister Bhattacharya said, “We were hopeful that the doctors would participate, but they imposed too many conditions. We waited with an open mind, but they did not take any steps to resolve the situation.” She emphasized the urgency of restoring medical services and urged the doctors to return to work, without commenting on possible action against them for defying the Supreme Court’s directive.
The doctors, in response, stated that while they wished for a resolution, the government’s reluctance to engage fully in discussions was a major hindrance. They questioned whether the government was “hiding” something by refusing their demands for a live telecast and the Chief Minister’s mandatory presence.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leaders expressed their frustration with the ongoing protests. Trinamool MLA Humayun Kabir announced plans for counter-protests, citing that “people were dying” due to the disruptions caused by the doctors’ strike. Another party leader, Chandan Mukhopadhyay, went so far as to label the protesting doctors “anti-national” for defying the Supreme Court’s order to return to work.
The protests, which entered their 33rd day on Wednesday, stem from the doctors’ demands for justice for the victim and enhanced security measures for women healthcare workers. They are also calling for the suspension of senior officials, including the Kolkata Police Commissioner.
A scheduled meeting between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and principals and directors of state medical colleges, originally set for Thursday, was postponed due to “impending emergency works.”
