West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday appealed to junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague at RG Kar Hospital to end their hunger strike. She noted that most of their demands had been addressed, but rejected doctors' call to remove the state health secretary.
During a phone conversation with the doctors, facilitated by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty at the protest site in Esplanade, Banerjee said, "Everybody has the right to protest, but it shouldn't affect healthcare services. I would request you all to withdraw your fast." The junior doctors have been demanding the dismissal of Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, alongside other reforms.
Banerjee acknowledged their frustration but explained, "You know why I did not remove the health secretary. It is not possible to remove everybody in a department in one go. We had earlier removed the DHS and DME. Please rise above politics and rejoin work." "How can you decide which officer will be removed or not? Is this logical?" she further questioned, news agency PTI reported.
The junior doctors have been on a hunger strike for two weeks, seeking justice for their colleagues and pushing for systemic improvements in healthcare. So far, six doctors have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while eight others continue their indefinite fast. They have set an October 21 deadline for the government to act.
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Kolkata Doctors’ Protest: CM Mamata Banerjee Invites Medics For Meeting At Nabanna
Banerjee emphasised the need to end the strike and invited the doctors to meet her at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Monday to discuss their demands further. "I have removed the Commissioner of Police (CP), the Director of Medical Education (DME), and the Director of Health Services (DHS), but I cannot remove everyone in the department," Banerjee explained.
"Some of your demands need policy decisions. We will cooperate to the fullest extent possible, but it is not acceptable that you will dictate to the government what should be done," she advocated.
She also stressed the impact the strike was having on healthcare services, reminding the doctors of their duty to patients, particularly the poor who rely on government hospitals. "People are dependent on you for treatment. Where will the poor people go? They are treated free in government hospitals. Please forget my position and treat me as your 'Didi'. These are your just demands, but you should serve the people," she urged.
The junior doctors are also in talks with their counterparts in other states to organise a nationwide strike on Tuesday, further increasing pressure on the West Bengal government. Their demands include justice for their colleague, whose death they believe resulted from systemic failures. They seek accountability and a full investigation into the incident.
Doctors Demand Immediate Action
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assured them that CBI is leading the case, expressing hope that justice will be served. In addition, doctors are pushing for systemic reforms to improve workplace safety in medical institutions.
Apart from removing Health Secretary, Narayan Swaroop Nigam, they are also calling for elections to be held in medical colleges, which the chief minister acknowledged, asking for more time due to the upcoming Diwali celebrations and state by-elections. "Please give me three to four months, which are needed to hold the student elections," she said.
While Banerjee promised to address most of their concerns within a few months, the doctors continue to demand immediate action. A large rally is planned for Sunday to emphasise their demands, and a statewide and possibly national strike is set for October 22 if no resolution is reached.
Banerjee highlighted that her government has already taken some steps to address their concerns. She pointed out that Rs 113 crore has been allocated for improving the health infrastructure of the state. It also includes the establishment of 43 multi-specialty hospitals, though more doctors are needed to staff these facilities.
Chief Minister also reassured the doctors that measures have been implemented to improve security and protect healthcare workers. "Please restore normalcy and we will cooperate to the fullest extent possible. It is up to you whether you want to restore normalcy or not," she requested.
"Some of your demands require policy decisions, but they cannot be implemented overnight. Please rise above politics and think about the people who depend on you for their treatment," Banerjee remarked in her closing appeal to the doctors.