The will they-won’t they surrounding the protesting doctors meeting the West Bengal government continued on Wednesday evening with the protesters responding to a letter by the chief secretary and making a list of demands for the discussion to take place.
The doctors have been protesting since a trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9 and Wednesday marked the 33rd day of the agitation. The West Bengal government had invited the doctors for a discussion on Tuesday as well, but they had rejected the invitation because it had come from the health secretary, Narayan Swaroop Nigam, whose resignation they are demanding.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant wrote to the doctors on Wednesday and, reiterating that the protests are causing inconvenience to patients and their families, invited them to the state secretariat Nabanna, “preferably” with a delegation of 12-15 doctors.
Responding to the letter, the doctors said they want to send a delegation of at least 30 representatives and want the meeting to be telecast live for “the sake of transparency amongst all parties”. Laying out two other important points, they said the discussion should be held in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and should be centred around their five-point demands.
The five-point demands include holding all individuals responsible for the rape and murder – as well as any destruction of evidence – accountable and punishing them; taking strict disciplinary action against former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Principal Sandip Ghosh; the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam among others; and ensuring adequate security measures for healthcare workers. The demands also speak about eliminating a ‘threat culture’ prevailing in government healthcare institutions.
‘Fruitful Dialogue’
In his letter to the protesting doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant pointed out that patients were being affected by the protests and that the doctors had not adhered to the Supreme Court deadline of resuming their duties by 5 pm on Tuesday.
“It is important to take a serious note that the common people have been deprived of your vital services, compassionate care and the healing touch over the past 32 days. Keeping this aspect in view, the honourable Supreme Court, in its order dated 9th September 2024, directed that junior doctors must resume duties by 5 p.m. on 10th September 2024. You will, no doubt, appreciate and agree that, as a law-abiding citizen, it is everyone’s bounden duty to adhere to these directions. Unfortunately, it has not been adhered to so far,” Mr Pant wrote.
Appealing to the doctors to resume their duties and appreciating their openness to dialogue, he added, “Once again, as another opportunity, we invite your delegation – preferably consisting of 12-15 colleagues – to join us for a discussion at 6.00 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.”
While the Supreme Court had indicated it would allow the West Bengal government to take action against the doctors if they did not return to work by 5 pm on Tuesday, Chief Minister Banerjee has said she would prefer to end the impasse through talks. The state government’s approach is also being seen as a way to neutralise the anger against it over its handling of the rape and murder case, whose investigation was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI.
