Bengal govt offers olive branch again, calls doctors for talks for ‘fifth and final’ time

Despite saying at the protest site outside Swasthya Bhavan two days back that it was her “last attempt” to resolve the crisis, Mamata Banerjee has given another chance to the protesting doctors to end the impasse.

The West Bengal government on Monday (September 16) invited the protesting junior doctors for talks “for the fifth and the final time”, after the dialogue failed to take off on Saturday over disagreement to live-stream the meeting.

Chief Secretary’s email

In an email to the protesting junior doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant asked them to reach the Chief Minister’s Kalighat residence at 5 pm on Monday for the talks.

“This is the fifth and the final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the honourable CM and the delegates. In line with our discussion the day before (Saturday), we are once again inviting you for the meeting with the CM at her Kalighat residence for discussions with an open mind,” he wrote.

Hope for “good sense” to prevail

Pant hoped “Good sense will prevail” as mutually agreed upon on Saturday that there will be no live-streaming or videography of the meeting since the matter is sub-judice in Supreme Court.

“Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by both the parties,” he said.

Responding to the mail, the agitating doctors said they will discuss among themselves and then announce their decision on whether to attend the meeting.

Mamata’s peace offering

Junior doctors of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been on cease-work for more than a month now in protest against the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor on August 9.

Mamata on Saturday made a surprise visit to the protest site and assured them that their demands would be addressed, asking them to come for talks. But the proposed meeting fell through with the protesters claiming that they were “unceremoniously” asked to leave after waiting for three hours at the gates of the CM’s residence.

Row over live streaming

After the protesters refused to enter Mamata’s residence due to the government’s rejection of their demand for a live telecast, she came out to appeal to them to join the talks and urged them “not to insult her”, and promised them that a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting would be given.

However, the doctors refused and left. It is understood that there is now a disagreement among the protesters over the issue, with the “hardliners” among them, reportedly backed by the Left, holding the reins of the agitation. The more “moderates” among the doctors are keen on holding talks and ending the impasse.

Doctors’ demands

The five demands the doctors have placed before the state include holding accountable all those responsible for the medics’ rape and murder and the alleged destruction of evidence and punishing them.

They have also sought strict disciplinary action against former RG Kar medical college principal Sandip Ghosh and are pushing for the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, among others.

They also want adequate security measures for healthcare workers and the “threat culture” prevailing in government healthcare institutions to be eliminated.

(With agency inputs)