The proposed talks to resolve the RG Kar impasse between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and protesting junior doctors again ended up in a stalemate on Saturday as the meeting failed to start.
Banerjee had appealed to the agitating doctors, who had arrived at her residence in Kolkata for talks, to join the meeting amid the demand for live-streaming of the discussions. However, the agitating junior doctors remained adamant on live-streaming of the talks.
"I cannot allow live-streaming as the matter is before the court. I will video-record the meeting and will provide you with a copy only after the Supreme Court's permission," said CM.
She also told the protesting doctors to not insult her like this. "I have been waiting for the meeting. Why are you people insulting me like this? Please don't insult me like this. Earlier on the three occasions, I have been waiting but you people didn't come," she said.
Meanwhile, the agitating doctors said they were "unceremoniously" asked to leave the venue.
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“When we came here, we had demanded video recording or live-streaming of the talks. We were not allowed. Then the chief minister came out and appealed to us to join the talks, promising that we would receive the minutes of the meeting. We discussed among ourselves and agreed to join the meeting without live-streaming or video recording," said an agitating doctor.
When the decision was conveyed to Health Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, we were told to leave the venue because it was too late and they had been waiting for three hours, he added.
After Mamata Banerjee visited the protesting doctors outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the state health department headquarters, they agreed to attend the meeting with the CM.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant in an email said that 15 representatives of the junior doctors were invited to the meeting.
While addressing the junior doctors during their dharna, Banerjee said, "I came to meet you as your 'Didi', not as the chief minister...This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis."
She assured justice and said no actions would be taken against the protesting doctors after they resumed their work.
"I support your movement... I am going to study the demands placed before us, and if anyone is guilty, we will take appropriate action. I want justice to be served," she said.
The doctors have been protesting since a junior doctor was raped and murdered in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.