Attempts to resolve the doctors’ agitation in Kolkata failed once again. The agitating doctors blamed the state administration’s adamant attitude for not allowing them to live stream a meeting to resolve the impasse over the Kolkata-based RG Kar Hospital issue. The doctors said they never demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The doctors termed Mamata Banerjee’s remarks blaming them for the deadlock as unfortunate and said their ‘work stop’ agitation will continue until their demands are met. “The chief minister’s remarks are unfortunate. We wanted talks to take place,” the doctors said. However, the state administration is adamant on not allowing live telecast of the meeting, an agitating doctor told reporters. “Our demands are legitimate. We wanted live telecast of the meeting for transparency.”
The agitating doctors on Thursday refused to hold talks with the West Bengal government until their demand of live telecast of the meeting to resolve the impasse was met. As per the demand of the protesters, the talks were to be held at 5 pm in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Chief Minister waited for more than an hour to meet the agitating doctors, however, the meeting did not take place as scheduled.
The protesting doctors said, “We have never asked for his resignation nor have we come here to press for it. We have come here with our demands for justice for the doctor who lost her life in RG Kar Hospital. We wanted to resolve this issue. We are very sad that the talks did not take place but we will still wait for the response of the administration.”
Another doctor said the protesters never demanded Banerjee’s resignation. “We have no such motive at all. Our aim is justice (for the doctor who died at RG Kar Hospital). We had five demands, nowhere did we demand her (Mamata’s) resignation. Our demand is clear. We want those who obstruct the path of justice to be brought to book. Even the victim’s parents did not demand her resignation,” he said.
Expressing regret over the doctors’ refusal to hold talks, Banerjee urged them to return to work and said she was even ready to resign and step down for the sake of the people. Banerjee claimed she had made all efforts to hold talks with the protesting doctors in the last three days. She said the talks with the doctors cannot be telecast live as the matter is sub judice and is before the Supreme Court. “We waited for three days but they (doctors) did not come. I hope people will understand that they don’t want justice, they want a chair. I am ready to resign from my post for the sake of the people. I want justice for the victim and the people of the state,” Banerjee said.