Junior docs in Bengal are protesting over the rape and homicide of a colleague final month (File).
Kolkata:
The Bengal authorities on Thursday afternoon invited junior docs – on strike for 34 consecutive days to protest the rape-murder of a colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital – to a different spherical of talks, which will likely be attended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant mentioned.
The protesting docs had refused two earlier invites as a result of she was to not be current.
Mr Pant, nonetheless, mentioned the state wouldn’t settle for a requirement to live-stream the assembly however supplied a compromise, saying it might be recorded “to keep up transparency”. “This can serve the aim supposed out of your finish whereas additionally  making certain all discussions are precisely documented,” he wrote.
“The state is at all times keen to have interaction in a dialogue with involved stakeholders…” Mr Pant’s letter mentioned and referred to as on a delegation of not more than 15 to satisfy Ms Banerjee at her residence at 5 pm.
Ms Banerjee has “waited to your optimistic response (for the previous) two days”, the state mentioned.
Junior docs have been holding a sit-in protest exterior the state’s Well being Division HQ for a number of days now, although their senior colleagues have returned to work following a plea by the Supreme Courtroom. They’ve criticised the state for not assembly to listen to their considerations.
READ |Â Junior Medical doctors Proceed Sit-In Protest Over Kolkata Rape-Homicide
An invite to talks was issued Tuesday by the state’s Well being Secretary, Narayan Swaroop, however that was summarily rejected since one of many protesting docs’ calls for is that Mr Swaroop be faraway from his put up. Mr Pant wrote to the on Wednesday, however that invitation was refused as a result of the state then refused to each live-stream the meet and have Ms Banerjee current.
READ |Â “Delegation Of 30, Reside Telecast”: Medical doctors’ Calls for For Mamata Meet
Now, with Ms Banerjee beneath heavy hearth, the ruling Trinamool has relented on these two calls for, though it seems to carry agency on permitting not more than 15 docs to satisfy her.
Of their response to Mr Pant’s first invitation the docs mentioned they’d ship a delegation of at the very least 30 representatives, and harassed the meet would revolve round their 5 core calls for.
The calls for embrace 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.
READ |Â Ex-RG Kar Chief Sandip Ghosh Despatched To Judicial Custody Until Sep 23
The docs have additionally demanded the sacking of Kolkata Police chief Vineet Goyal, whose management of the drive has been closely criticised, and Well being Secretary Narayan Swaroop.
The protesting docs have additionally requested for ample safety for healthcare employees, notably the elimination of a ‘menace tradition’ they are saying is rampant in state-run services.
The docs’ protests have, the state has argued, affected healthcare service in Bengal, however the authorities is cautious of blaming the putting medicos, with Well being Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya blaming “political forces” for orchestrating the agitation. This led to a fast rebuttal from the medics, who dismissed the “baseless” claims and mentioned the protests would proceed until calls for are met.
In his first letter to the docs Mr Pant additionally identified they’d overrun the deadline set by the Supreme Courtroom – to return to work by 5 pm Tuesday. “You’ll, little doubt, recognize and agree that, as a law-abiding citizen, it’s everybody’s responsibility to stick to (the courtroom’s) instructions…” he mentioned.
The Supreme Courtroom, which took suo moto cognisance of the RG Kar horror, had left it to the Bengal authorities to take care of the putting junior docs. Thus far, nonetheless, 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 a protracted solution to neutralising public anger over the lady’s rape and killing.
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