Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 11 (ANI): The West Bengal Medical Council in Kolkata held a rally on Wednesday demanding justice in the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case
The rally of doctors held banners stating, “In demand of punishment for all rapist-murderers and their accomplices in the Abhaya rape and murder case.”
The long procession showed doctors raising slogans and holding banners and taking to the streets to voice their demand for justice in the gruesome case that took place on August 9.
Earlier in the day, agitating doctors of the RK Kar Hospital clarified about their refusal to accept West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s invitation for talks at the state secretariat to resolve the impasse over their refusal to return to work.
The doctors said they refused to attend because it was said to be a closed-door meeting.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Aqeeb said, “The mail that we received yesterday was from the principal secretary and it was written that there is a meeting with senior government officials, stating it to be a closed-door meeting. We refused it because we were against the closed-door meeting.”
“Like WB Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the Chief Minister was waiting for us, nothing of this sort was mentioned in the mail. We then sent a mail to the CM office in which we mentioned our five demands,” he said.
He added further, “The demands included that those creating trouble in justice should be asked to resign. Elections should be conducted; college counsel should be given recognition and elected representatives should be part of it and not selected representatives among others.
West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that CM Mamata Banerjee waited for doctors to come and talk to her after sending the letter but no one arrived at Nabanna.
“Your small delegation (maximum 10 persons) may visit ‘Nabanna’ now to meet government representatives,” the email sent by the state’s Health Secretary N S Nigam to the protesting medics on Tuesday evening stated.
“The language of the communication is not only disrespectful to us doctors, it’s downright insensitive. We find no reason to reply to this mail,” Dr Debasish Halder, a leader of the protesting doctors who organised a sit-in before the state health department headquarters at ‘Swasthya Bhavan’ in Salt Lake, said.
The WB Junior doctors front’s sent their reply to the Chief Secretary in response to his communication to the doctors regarding the meeting again on Wednesday, specifically emphasising the discussion to be held in the presence of the Chief Minister.
“In reference to the email sent and acknowledging your letter received to us on September 11, 2024 at 15:23 we would like to mention a few points regarding the proposed meeting. As mentioned in our previous mail, we would like to reiterate some points,” read the letter addressed to the Chief Secretary of WB.
“We want to send a delegate team of at least 30 representatives. We want the meeting to be live telecast for the sake of the transparency amongst all parties. We want the meeting to be based around out 5 point demands. We are re-emphasising our point that we want our discussion to be in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” read the letter.
The doctors conveyed that although “doors remain open” for talks with the state’s highest authorities, they would continue with their agitation till their demands are met.
Principals, Directors and medical superintendents and vice principals (MSVPs) of all medical colleges and hospitals in the state were invited to the meeting. (ANI)
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