KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Wednesday rejected junior doctors' demands for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's presence and a live broadcast as preconditions for talks to resolve the month-long 'cease work' and standoff over the alleged rape-murder of a woman medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Amid the 33rd day of protests and a sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan for the second day, Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya said the government remains open to discussions but suggested that "political forces" might be influencing the protests.
This led to a quick rebuttal from the medics, who dismissed the claims as baseless, and asserted that the protests would continue till their demands were met.
Agitating junior doctors had earlier today written to the government demanding a 30-member delegation to be allowed to attend a meeting to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
In an email reply sent at 5. 23 pm to the chief secretary who had invited them to the meeting at 6 pm on Wednesday, the medics also demanded that the meeting should be live telecast to keep it transparent.
"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, in Nabanna. A list of the members of your delegation may please be intimated by email. We look forward to your positive response and hope for a fruitful dialogue," State Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said in the letter.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the protesting doctors called for the invitation to negotiations to be sent through a “proper channel,” voicing their dissatisfaction with the state government’s current methods of communication. “Until that happens, we will continue our protest,” they said.
However, they have turned down the government's suggestion for a 10-member delegation, insisting instead on a larger group of 25-35 representatives.
The medics in their mail to Banerjee mentioned that they were open for the meeting "anytime and anywhere", provided that the entire discussion must be streamed live.
The doctors on Tuesday defied the Supreme Court's directive to return to work as they continued to press their demand for justice for the deceased doctor.
The junior doctors also continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the state health department, demanding that the Kolkata Police commissioner and senior health officials be removed from their posts.
The top court on Monday directed the protesting resident doctors to resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday and said no adverse action shall be taken against them until they join duty.
The state government said it has written to the protesters, inviting them for a meeting at the state secretariat 'Nabanna' to resolve the impasse over the incident.
However, the protesting doctors said the mail for the meeting was from the state health secretary, whose resignation they were seeking, and termed it as "insulting". They also said that restricting the number of representatives to attend the meeting to 10 was "humiliating".
The Central Bureau of Investigation is currently probing the rape and murder of the woman medic, following a Calcutta High Court order.
(With inputs from PTI)
