KOLKATA: After a second round of talks between agitating junior doctors and the Chief Secretary failed to yield positive results, junior doctors continued their protest at Swasthya Bhawan on Thursday afternoon. Protestors were seen removing tents, bamboo sticks, and pedestal fans from the protest site in front of the building.
Protestors claimed that “external pressure” was causing decorators, who had installed fans for them, to take them down.
“It could be an effort to demoralise us,” said a junior doctor. “But we would like to clearly say that for a protest, we don’t need all this. We can protest from anywhere and in any possible way.”
The junior doctors announced their decision to continue their protest and cease work after a six-hour meeting with government officials on Wednesday night. Despite the government's verbal assurance, the doctors expressed disappointment as their demands were not included in the minutes of the meeting.
Debashish Haldar, a prominent figure in the protest, stated, “While we appreciate the government’s verbal commitments, we remain hopeful for a written directive that formally acknowledges our demands. Until then, we will maintain our current course of action.”
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary requested the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF) to submit the particulars of four to five junior doctors as representatives in the proposed Special Task Force for further discussions. He also reiterated the government’s request for the doctors to immediately resume work.
The WBJDF began their sit-in protest outside Swasthya Bhawan on 10th September. Following a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, the doctors expressed “partial” satisfaction with the outcome and requested further discussions.
Dr Abhinaba Pal said, “We are finding out that the lenders are taking back fans and tents. We, doctors from various medical colleges, were taking turns staying at the protest site. This has turned advantageous to pressure us to vacate the protest site.”
He added, “Decorators have removed tents, tripols (support poles for the tent) and fans as per orders from their owners. However, the reasons were not specified. Anonymous people who have supported the protest contributed these items by renting them from lenders. But now, under some unknown orders, they are being withdrawn.”
Another doctor from RG Kar Medical College, Paramitha Thander, said, “We are all rushing to the protest site. We just found out that the police allegedly forced the decorators to remove the tents and fans. Accordingly, they have sent their assistants.”
She added, “Although there is no direct threat given by Kolkata police, such incidents indicate indirect pressure and a threat to vacate Swasthya Bhawan.”
The doctors have been protesting for over a month against the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe is underway, and as part of the investigation, the former principal of RG Kar, Dr Sandip Ghosh, has already been taken into custody.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the CBI arrested another suspect in the RG Kar incident, TMCP leader Asish Pandey. According to CBI sources, on the day of the incident, Pandey stayed at a guest house in Salt Lake. The guest house authorities have been asked to provide CCTV footage of Pandey and submit it to the CBI office.
