3rd Time Lucky? Striking Docs At Mamata Banerjee’s Residence For Meeting On RG Kar Impasse

Kolkata: A delegation of 32 striking doctors on Monday evening reached the Kalighat residence of Mamata Banerjee for talks with the West Bengal chief minister to resolve the RG Kar impasse.

This will be a case of third time lucky if the meeting does materialise, as the previous two meetings fell through over disagreement on the issue of live telecast of proceedings.

On September 12, the doctors had travelled to state secretariat Nabanna while on September 14 they had turned up at the CM’s residence. However, the doctors didn’t actually step inside the meeting venue due to their conditions not being met.

After the state government’s ‘final meeting invitation’ followed by an exchange of multiple emails with doctors’ body throughout Monday, the bus carrying the agitating doctors travelled from their Swasthya Bhaban protest site in Salt Lake to Kalighat – a distance of around 15 kilometres – with their bus being escorted by a pilot police vehicle.

As per latest reports, the entire delegation, along with two stenographers, have been allowed into the meeting hall where the doctors will discuss their 37-day agitation and press for five demands they have raised from Day 1.

The doctors did climb down from their demands of live telecast or videography, and agreed to the government proposal of minutes of the meeting being signed by both parties.

There was a potential sticky point as doctors took two stenographers for the minutes to be noted from their side.

Also Read: Indira Jaising To Represent Junior Doctors In Supreme Court In Kolkata Rape-Murder Case

Though the government didn’t mention about accepting the stenographers’ presence in their last email, the authorities seem to have accepted the two additional members.

Whether any meaningful solution emerges from the meeting remains to be seen. The doctors, however, made it absolutely clear before leaving for the CM’s residence that they won’t budge from their original demands.

What Are 5 Demands Of Protesting Docs?

* Punishment to all those involved in the rape and murder of trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital and destruction of evidence

* Disciplinary action against former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh

* Resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam

* Adequate security arrangement for healthcare workers

* Eliminating ‘threat culture’ prevailing in government healthcare institutions.

The resident doctors of state-run hospital have been on ceasework since August 9, when the semi-naked body of the female junior doctor was found at RG Kar Hospital.

Despite a directive from the Supreme Court and repeated requests from the West Bengal CM, the doctors have maintained that their strike will continue till all their demands are met.