In a dramatic statement amid the standoff between the protesting doctors and the West Bengal government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was ready to resign in the larger interest of the people.
Her remarks came after the scheduled meeting between the government and the protesting doctors failed to take place on Thursday evening after the latter backtracked from the talks over difference of opinion on live-streaming the meeting.
"I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today. They (junior doctors) came to Nabanna but did not sit for the meeting. I request them to go back to work," Banerjee told a press conference.
"I am ready to resign for the sake of the people as, despite my best intentions and efforts in the last three days, the medics declined to hold talks," she further said.
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The meeting was to be held at 5 pm and the chief minister waited for more than an hour at the secretariat to meet the representatives of the protesters. The doctors’ delegation reached the venue at 5.25 pm and stayed put at the gate as their demand for live-streaming of the meeting was refused.
Even though top officials, including DGP Rajeev Kumar, ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar and even state chief secretary Manoj Pant, tried to convince the protesters, they refused to budge.
"We had conveyed in our letter that live streaming will not be possible but had given our assurances that we would have the whole session recorded for documentation and posterity. The chief minister is waiting for them for the last hour and half,” said Pant.
“There should be a limit to such demands. We have tried to convince the doctors but they have still not accepted. We request them to consider attending this meeting,” he added.
Junior doctors have been protesting across West Bengal after a trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at Kolkata’s RG Kar medical college hosipital. The victim’s body was found at the seminar hall of the hospital on August 9.
One person has been arrested in the case even as protesters allege involvement of several others in the incident. The CBI has taken over the probe following a directive of the Calcutta High Court.
