Kolkata rape-murder case: Junior doctors welcome Mamata's surprise visit, invited to CM's residence for talks
The West Bengal government invited agitating junior doctors to Mamata Banerjee's residence at 6pm on Saturday to hold a meeting to resolve the RG Kar impasse.
Agitating junior doctors on Saturday expressed their wish to hold discussions with chief minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar impasse shortly after the TMC supremo visited the protest site. In a letter to the state government, the junior doctors welcomed the chief minister’s surprise visit to their protest site outside ‘Swasthya Bhavan’, the health department’s headquarters.
“CM Mamata Banerjee came to our protest site. We are happy that the door for discussion and dialogue is open from both sides. For this, we have also sent a mail to the CM’s office, in which we have told her that we are very happy that she came, and we are ready to discuss the five-point demand addressed to her by the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front,” said Dr Arif, one of the protestors. “We are ready for discussions whenever they call us.”
Follow LIVE updates on RG Kar impasse
The state government has since invited the agitating doctors for a meeting with Banerjee at her residence, scheduled for 6 pm on Saturday.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant confirmed that 15 representatives from the group were asked to attend the discussions, which are expected to focus on the doctors’ demands, particularly those concerning security and the investigation into the rape and murder of a fellow doctor from RG Kar Medical College.
Also Read | New twist in Kolkata rape case, TMC's Kunal Ghosh claims ‘conspiracy’ to attack doctors, posts audio clip
What Mamata Banerjee told protesting doctors
Earlier in the day, Banerjee made a surprise visit to the protest site, where doctors have been camping since Tuesday. Addressing the crowd, which intermittently chanted “we want justice”, Banerjee urged the doctors to end their protest, promising to look into their demands.
"I came to meet you as your ‘didi’ (elder sister), not as the chief minister," she told the doctors, who have been striking for over a month. "I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty," she added, referring to the rape and murder case that sparked the protests.
"It rained all night on Friday. The way you are sitting here, I am suffering too. I have also not slept night after night for the last 34 days because, if you are on the road, I also have to stay awake as a guard," Banerjee said.
The protests have severely impacted public healthcare services, with the state government claiming that 29 deaths have occurred due to delayed treatment as a result of the strike.
With the government's invitation to meet now extended, both sides await the outcome of the talks, hoping to end a prolonged impasse that has paralyzed the state's medical services.