A group of junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of a 31-year-old colleague at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata arrived at the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, on Wednesday, seeking to resolve the ongoing stalemate. Despite the West Bengal government’s invitation to hold talks in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the doctors refused to accept the proposal under the given terms.
The government had agreed to meet the doctors’ demand for Banerjee’s presence but declined their request to live-stream the meeting. Instead, the state offered to record the session, stating that it could be shared if approved by the Supreme Court. Chief Minister Banerjee emphasized that live-streaming was not feasible as the case is currently sub-judice, but assured that the meeting would be documented for transparency.
While the government restricted the delegation size to 15, 30 doctors arrived at Nabanna, determined to stick to their original demand. The protesters remained at the venue for over an hour, engaging in discussions, with both sides refusing to compromise on their respective stances.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant reiterated the government’s offer, urging the doctors to attend the meeting and consider the proposal of recording the talks instead of live-streaming. However, the doctors continued their sit-in protest, demanding more transparency and rejecting the government’s conditions.
The ongoing protest stems from the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor, which has led to a major disruption in healthcare services across the state. Despite multiple attempts by the government to resolve the situation, the impasse continues as the doctors remain firm in their demands for justice and transparency in the process.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her disappointment, apologizing to the people of Bengal for the delay in resolving the healthcare crisis. The government remains hopeful for a resolution but has yet to receive a response from the protesting doctors regarding the latest communication.
