The protesting junior doctors of Kolkata, after two failed attempts at talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have reached her Kalighat residence for a third. The state government has described this as a “fifth and final invitation for talks”. Unlike the last two times, they have made it past the doorway and talks have started, sources said.
Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, around 30 doctors had arrived at Ms Banerjee’s home at 6.20 pm. The meeting, which was expected to begin at 5 pm, finally started around 7 pm.
Two earlier meetings — the last one on Saturday — had fallen though as the two sides could not come to a consensus on whether the proceedings should be live transmitted or videographed, with the video handed to the doctors right after it ends.
In both cases, the doctors had reached the venue but left without sitting down at the proverbial table. On the first occasion, images of the Chief Minister sitting in an empty meeting hall of the state secretariat, waiting for the doctors’ delegation, had gone viral.
So did Saturday’s cellphone videos of her asking the doctors to come inside her Kalighat home and have a cup of tea at least even if they were unwilling to join discussions. The doctors had refused, saying they want justice.
This time, most of the conditions have been laid down in writing ahead of the meet, negating any chance of last-minute surprises.
The doctors have taken their own stenographers who would record the minutes and the document will be signed by everyone present. The government will also have a video recording.
The doctors have also stipulated that they give their response to whatever the government had to say after going back to the protest site and discussing it with the others. They have also made it clear that they will not give up on their five-point demand.
“We also want the issue to be resolved but not at the cost of any form of compromise on our five demands. We are going to the meeting to discuss all the issues with an open mind,” one of the protesters who is also participating in the meeting, was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.
The impasse over the doctors’ demand for justice for the rape-murder of the 31-year-old medic has been on for more than a month. The Supreme Court has already ordered that the doctors put an end to the ceasework and get back to patient care, which is suffering.
The order had ended the spread of the ceasework, as doctors across India had stood up to show solidarity with the protesters. But Bengal doctors had refused, doubling down with the protests as the common people kept up their support.
On Thursday, the first time the talks fell through even before they started, the Chief Minister had assured doctors that no action would be taken against them, and that the government is always ready for a dialogue.
Uttar Pradesh, she said, had taken action in similar circumstances. “We also have ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act). But I will not do that. I am not a supporter of Emergency,” she had said. But there was also a warning — she said she is also answerable to the families that lose their loved ones because of the absence of doctors in hospitals. The government had claimed that till then, that figured hovered around the late 20s.
The doctors had rubbished the allegation, pointing out that while the state had nearly one lakh registered doctors, the number of junior doctors was around 4,500 and their absence cannot cause a breakdown of the healthcare system.
