Protesting junior doctors in Kolkata held their first round of talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday after multiple failed attempts to resolve the RG Kar impasse. The meeting lasted more than two hours and reports indicate that the government has accepted all hospital infra development-related demands posed by the junior doctors.
The development came after a fresh exchange of emails as the agitators reiterated their demand for the meeting to be recorded. The agitating medics later agreed to a compromise, now only asking to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant also agreed to have both parties sign the minutes of the meeting and share copies.
The doctors have however indicated that their protests will not end at this time.
"We decided to not to withdraw protests even after a successful meeting. Whatever happens we will discuss in general body meeting and then decide on future course of action. If the meeting is unsuccessful, we shall have a press conference and announce she didn’t agree to her demands,” a protesting medico told The Telegraph Online.
"We would like to emphasise that the meeting be videographed by separate videographers of both the parties. If not possible from your side, entire video file of the meeting be handed over to the doctor representatives. If that is not possible, then the minutes of the full transcript of the meeting be recorded and formulated by both the parties and duly signed by all the attendees and handed over at the end of the meeting," the agitating doctors said.
The situation on Monday appeared to be somewhat different from previous efforts to resolve the conflict — with the protesters taking a bus up to the Chief Minister's residence before entering with two stenographers in tow.
What are the protesting doctors' demands?
The protesting medics have demanded accountability and punishment for those behind the rape-murder and "destruction" of evidence. They have sought strict action against the former medical college principal Sandip Ghosh and the resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam. The junior doctors have also called for improved security for healthcare workers and the eradication of the "threat culture" in government healthcare institutions.
(With inputs from agencies)
