Mamata speaks to junior docs’ over phone, urges them to withdraw hunger strike
Kolkata: In a bid to resolve the impasse with protesting junior doctors, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday spoke to them over the phone and urged them to withdraw their fast-unto-death, saying most of their demands had been met and action is also being taken on the remaining ones. Banerjee interacted with the agitating doctors over the phone when state Chief Secretary (CS) Manoj Pant and Home Secretary (HS) Nandini Chakraborty visited the protest site. The Chief Minister assured junior doctors that she would meet them on Monday to further discuss their demands. Mamata told the junior doctors that most of their demands had been fulfilled and asked to give her some more time to work on the rest. She, however, ruled out the removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam. Banerjee said that she would meet the representatives of the protesting junior doctors at 5 pm on Monday. Later in the evening, the CS sent an e-mail to the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front charting out ten points on which attention was drawn during the telephonic conversation between the CM and junior doctors. The e-mail also said that representatives of 10 junior doctors will be allowed in the meeting and they need to be at Nabanna Sabhaghar by 4.30 pm. As CM has other preoccupations, the meeting will be of 45 minutes duration, the e-mail mentioned. The CS said that the CM will hold the meeting with the representatives only after the junior doctors withdraw their hunger strike.
“Please withdraw the agitation. Some of the 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 said. Banerjee’s reaction came a day after the protesting junior doctors gave the Bengal government an ultimatum to fulfil their demands before October 21. On Friday, the junior doctors threatened to hold a strike on October 22 if their demands were not met. The fast-unto-death by doctors entered the 15th day on Saturday. Junior doctors’ demands include strengthening security outside hospitals, setting up CCTV cameras and ensuring their safety, elections to councils in hospitals and medical colleges and also the removal of Health Secretary NS Nigam.
Banerjee further stated: “Most of your demands have been fulfilled, give me 3-4 months more to meet the rest of the demands. Regarding your demand for elections, we have to set up a process. Right now, there are several festivals, so we will have to do it after that.” She also pointed out that the doctors have a right to protest but it shouldn’t affect healthcare services.Emphasising that the junior doctors’ protests are affecting the health services, Banerjee said: “I appeal to you as an elderly sister to withdraw your hunger strike and rejoin work. And then we can sit and discuss. You have to understand what we can do and what we cannot...Poor people are going to private hospitals because they have Swasthya Sathi cards and the private hospitals have reported a 40 per cent rise in earnings. Where will the patients go if health services are not properly available in government hospitals.” She also mentioned that a centralised referral system has been started on a pilot basis. “I have removed CP, DME, DHS but cannot remove everyone…You know why I did not remove the health secretary…I said it is not possible to remove everybody in a department,” Banerjee said adding: “You should rise above politics and rejoin work. People are now asking for justice. You now do justice to them…You are changing your decisions every day. You should serve people. I leave it to your consideration,” Banerjee told the junior doctors over phone. The CS and HS after visiting the protest site at around 2 pm, enquired about the health of the junior doctors undergoing hunger strike. Many junior doctors spoke to the Chief Minister over the phone.
