Even after so many days have passed since the rape and murder of a trainee female doctor in Kolkata, the demonstration of junior doctors of the hospital and the uproar against the government continues. After the hunger strike continued for the 15th day on Sunday, Mamata Banerjee spoke to the protesters on phone, in which she laid down the condition of meeting, but they refused to accept the CM’s proposal. The protesting doctors have put forward 10-point demands before the government in protest against the Kolkata incident. Consensus has been reached on many demands, but differences still remain on some.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited the doctors for a 45-minute talk with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 5 pm on Monday at the state secretariat Nabanna. But a condition of this meeting was that the doctors would have to withdraw their hunger strike. Junior doctors are firm on their demand for removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam in the wake of the rape and murder of a post graduate trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the junior doctors protesting against the alleged rape and murder of their colleague at RG Kar Hospital to end their fast unto death. He said that most of his demands have been considered. He had rejected the demand of junior doctors to remove the Health Secretary. Debashish Halder, one of the agitating doctors, told reporters after the general meeting of the ‘West Bengal Junior Doctors Front’ on Sunday, “We will attend the meeting but the hunger strike will not be called off before that.” The outcome of the meeting will decide in what form the movement will continue.
CM Mamta talked to the protesters on phone
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty had visited the protest site at Esplanade on Saturday. During this time, while talking to the protesting doctors over the phone, the Chief Minister had said, “Everyone has the right to protest, but it should not affect health services.” I would request all of you to withdraw your fast.” The agitating doctors have also been joined by their colleagues from across the state. They have warned that if their demands are not met, they will further intensify the protest by organizing a strike of all medical professionals in West Bengal on October 22. Apart from the removal of the Health Secretary Corporation, the doctors are also demanding elections in medical colleges.
