Junior docs in Bengal are protesting over the rape and homicide of a colleague final month (File).
Kolkata:
The stand-off between Mamata Banerjee and junior docs protesting the rape and homicide of their colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital final month, continued Thursday night, with a delegation of 32 camped exterior the state secretariat however refusing to enter and meet the Bengal Chief Minister.
“We’ve got been ready for 2 hours to fulfill our brothers and sisters among the many docs. We had written to them they usually mentioned they might come… and that’s the reason we made these preparations. The Chief Secretary, the Director-Common of Police, Dwelling Secretary… had been all right here,” Ms Banerjee mentioned.
“I’ve waited for 2 days for them to return… however we respect their sentiment and forgive them.”
Visuals launched by the state confirmed Ms Banerjee sitting in an almost-empty auditorium with placing blue mats on the ground, and with rows of chairs and tables specified by a semi-circle earlier than her.
The deadlock, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant mentioned, was over a requirement to live-stream the assembly, which the state has, thus far, refused. Two different pre-conditions – that Ms Banerjee be current and {that a} delegation of 30+ docs, towards the sooner restrict of 15, be allowed – have now been accepted, he mentioned.
“We e-mailed the docs within the afternoon they usually got here… we allowed all 32 to attend the assembly. However they demand live-streaming… we mentioned this can’t be allowed. We’ve got mentioned we’ll file it,” he mentioned, including the docs then declared they might not come to the assembly until all pre-conditions are met.
The Chief Minister has been ready since 5 pm, he mentioned, 90 minutes after the scheduled begin.
“They haven’t entered the assembly corridor but… we request them to enter,” he mentioned.
Bengal’s prime police officer, Director-Common Rajeev Kumar, mentioned the docs’ demand to live-stream the assembly “appears unreasonable”, and identified, “No formal meet is ever streamed dwell. We (additionally) haven’t any situation with the quantity and allowed all 32 to attend as they requested.”
Earlier at this time the docs had been invited, for a 3rd time, to fulfill the state authorities and negotiate an finish to their strike, which is now in its thirty fourth consecutive day. Two invites this week had been rejected.
The primary was rejected as a result of it was despatched by Well being Secretary Narayan Swaroop, whose resignation they’ve demanded, and the second because the Chief Minister would not meet them. The second was additionally rejected due to limits on the docs’ delegation and refusal to live-stream the assembly.
The third, from the desk of Mr Pant, burdened that the state is “all the time prepared to have interaction in a dialogue with involved stakeholders”, and urged the docs to return to the negotiating desk.
Mr Pant, nevertheless, underlined, that live-streaming wouldn’t be allowed.
The assembly may, he had mentioned, may very well be recorded, and defined this “will serve the aim meant out of your finish whereas additionally making certain all discussions are precisely documented”.
Junior docs have been holding a sit-in protest exterior the state’s Well being Division HQ for a number of days now, regardless that their senior colleagues have returned to work following a plea by the Supreme Court docket. They’ve criticised the state for not assembly to listen to their issues.
The agitating docs have 5 core issues.
The calls for embody holding to account all these answerable for the rape and homicide of their colleague, in addition to destruction of proof, and to take strict disciplinary motion towards Dr Sandip Ghosh, the previous RG Kar Hospital head who has been arrested by the CBI.
The docs have additionally demanded the sacking of Kolkata Police chief Vineet Goyal, whose management of the power has been closely criticised, and Well being Secretary Narayan Swaroop.
The protesting docs have additionally requested for ample safety for healthcare employees, significantly the elimination of a ‘risk tradition’ they are saying is rampant in state-run services.
In his first letter to the docs Mr Pant identified the docs had overrun the deadline set by the Supreme Court docket – to return to work by 5 pm Tuesday. “You’ll, little question, respect and agree that, as a law-abiding citizen, it’s everybody’s responsibility to stick to (the courtroom’s) instructions…” he mentioned.
The Supreme Court docket, which took suo moto cognisance of the RG Kar horror, had left it to the Bengal authorities to take care of the placing junior docs. Up to now, nevertheless, Ms Banerjee has not taken any motion, undoubtedly conscious of the political firestorm to be unleashed if she does.
Each the Chief Minister and the state authorities are conscious that negotiating a peaceable finish to this protest will go an extended method to neutralising public anger over the girl’s rape and killing.
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