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Bengal govt proposes 5 pm meeting with protesting doctors in CM Mamata Banerjee's presence; rejects live streaming demand

by TRANS WORLD FEATURES | @twfindia 12 Sep 2024, 08:00 am

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Thursday made a renewed appeal to junior doctors protesting the brutal rape and murder of a female colleague, asking them to attend a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 5 p.m.

While the state government declined the doctors' demand for a live telecast of the meeting, it did agree to have the discussion recorded for transparency.

In his letter, Pant also limited the delegation strength to 15 doctors, confirming that Mamata Banerjee would be present at the talks to help resolve the ongoing standoff.

"The meeting shall not be Live telecast. However, the same can be recorded to maintain transparency. This will serve the purpose intended from your end, while also maintaining the sanctity of the proceedings, ensuring that all discussions are accurately documented," the Chief Secretary stated in his letter.

The doctors have been holding a sit-in protest outside the West Bengal Health Department’s office in Salt Lake, seeking justice for their colleague, whose body was found with gruesome injuries on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College.

The protest, which has disrupted healthcare services at state-run hospitals, has now entered its 34th day. Earlier, the doctors had rejected the health secretary's proposal to hold talks with a 10-member delegation. Following this, they received another invitation for negotiations, this time from the chief secretary.

The demonstrations, ongoing for over a month, have severely affected medical services throughout West Bengal. On Monday, the Supreme Court issued an ultimatum for the junior doctors to return to work by 5 pm on Tuesday.

In an email to the Chief Minister on Tuesday, the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front outlined six main points they want discussed. They also criticized the government’s email, calling it an "insult," as it was sent from the Health Secretary’s ID, one of the officials whose resignation they are demanding.

The doctors' key demands include a faster investigation and trial, action against Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital; the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, and action against DCP North and Central.

They are also calling for improved security at all hospitals and government healthcare centres and an end to the "culture of threats" against doctors.

In response, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited a "delegation of 12-15" representatives instead of the "25-35 representatives" initially requested by the protesting doctors, who argue that their demand reflects the interests of several medical institutions across the state.