Deadlock continues as docs reject talks over ‘live stream’ demand
Kolkata: As junior doctors refused to engage in dialogue on Thursday, citing the state’s rejection of their demand for “live streaming” the meeting, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee again urged the doctors to resume work and also apologised to the public with folded hands for dashing their hopes of a resolution and offered to resign from her position “for the sake of the people.”
The junior doctors declined to sit for talks even after reaching Nabanna while Banerjee waited for them for over two hours at Nabanna Sabhaghar.
This was the third consecutive day when Banerjee, along with senior officials of the state secretariat, waited to initiate dialogue with the protesting junior doctors who have pledged to continue cease-work unless the state government fulfils their demands. The cease-work began from August 9, the day when the body of the female trainee doctor was recovered from the seminar room of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
On Thursday evening, they turned up in front of Nabanna Sabhaghar for talks but did not enter as the state refused permission for live streaming of the meeting. Banerjee reasoned that live streaming could not be permitted as the matter is subjudice as it is being heard before the Supreme Court.
She claimed the state government had made arrangements for recording the meeting for transparency and accurate documentation of the process.
“We were even ready to share the recording with the Supreme Court’s nod. With a case being subjudice, we cannot discuss fine prints of the case like this. The next hearing is scheduled for September 17. That’s why we had a facility to record the proceeding,” she maintained.
“I tried thrice to hold talks with the junior doctors to end the RG Kar stalemate. I waited for two hours today (Thursday). Twenty-seven people have died and seven lakh patients are suffering due to the cease work but I will still not take any action against them. We, as elders, must forgive the young. We are hopeful that good sense will prevail and they will start discharging their duty of providing health services to the common people,” Banerjee said, adding that she is dead against imposition of ESMA (Essential services Maintenance Act) or similar measures to curb protest rallies.
Banerjee also apologised to the people with folded hands for frustrating their hopes for a solution and said she is even ready to quit her position if that is in the best interest of people.
“I apologise to the people of the state and the country at large who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today (Thursday). There have been a lot of smear campaigns against me and my government on social media. I have been subjected to insults. The common people do not know there is a political colour to it. They do not want justice. They want the chair. In the interest of the people I am ready to step down. I do not want the post of the Chief Minister. I want justice for Tilottama (pseudonym for the RG Kar rape and murder victim). And I want common people to get medical treatment,” Banerjee said at a press conference after waiting two hours for the junior doctors’ delegation,” she said.
Banerjee said the state even agreed to meet a 34
member delegation even though it was communicated to the doctors that they should send a 15-member delegation.
“But they refused to enter the meeting venue. We did not call other top health department officials just to facilitate the meeting and only Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharjee was present,” she added.
The state chief secretary Manoj Pant, on Thursday morning, had sent a fresh invite to agitating doctors for talks at 5 pm on Thursday to end the month-long stand-off. In the letter, the government accepted the doctors’ demand for Mamata Banerjee’s presence at the meeting but rejected their prerequisite of a live telecast of the talks.
The Supreme Court had directed the junior doctors to resume duties by 5 pm on September 10, 2024, failing which the court will not be able to protect them from any adverse action by the state government.
On Tuesday, the protesting doctors had rejected the proposal from the principal secretary, Health, to hold talks with a 10-member delegation. Instead, they sent an e-mail to the CMO at 3:45 am on Wednesday regarding the matter.
In an e-mail sent to the protesters, the Chief Secretary on Wednesday extended an invitation to a delegation of 12-15 to join for a discussion at 6.00 pm. However, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front – the outfit leading the protests- insisted that the delegation should comprise at least 30 representatives and the Chief Minister must be present during the meeting.
They also stated that the discussion should stick to the 5-point demands and should be live telecasted for the ‘sake of transparency.’ The state government argued that imposition of any condition impedes on open discussions. Later, on Wednesday evening, the doctors announced that they would continue their agitation and sit-in demonstration at Swasthya Bhavan.
The agitating junior doctors claimed on Thursday that they will continue their dharna in front of Swathya Bhavan and are open to talks with the Chief Minister wherever and whenever she pleases to but on the condition that live streaming is done.
“If the Apex Court session can be live telecast then why not the meeting?” a junior doctor asked.
