Kolkata rape case: CM Mamata Banerjee invites junior doctors for meeting today, calls it a final reach out

New Delhi: In a fresh email, the West Bengal government invited the protesting junior doctors to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat, to end the impasse over junior doctor's protest, which entered its seventh day in front of State Health Department Headquarters 'Swasthya Bhawan" and crossed 38 days. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has said in his letter that this is the "fifth and last" time the government is reaching out to the junior doctors for the meeting.

"...This is the fifth and final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the Honourable Chief Minister and your delegates," the Chief Secretary writes in his letter, adding "In view of the Honourable Supreme Court order dated 9th September 2024, directing junior doctors to resume duties by 5 PM on the 10th September 2024, it is our bounden duty, as law-abiding citizens, to follow and adhere to the apex court's directive."

The junior doctors have been stressing on a five-point demand from the beginning of the protest. The demands include the resignation of the Commissioner of Police, Director of Medical Education (DME), Health Secretary and justice of RG Kar deceased PGT doctor who were brutally raped and murdered on August 9. Following the letter, junior doctors are holding general Body meetings.

"We are always ready to discuss the matter with an open mind. We will sit with all our representatives from all the medical colleges and we will decide it democratically. Stopping ceasework is a part of the meeting but there are several other demands, including development of the health infrastructure, patient amenities," a junior doctor from West Bengal Junior Doctor's Front, said.

The Chief Secretary has made it clear in the letter that there will be no live streaming or videography of the meeting
"In line with our discussion from the day before, we are once again inviting you to a meeting with the Honourable Chief Minister at her Kalighat residence for a discussion with an open mind. We trust that good sense will prevail, and as mutually agreed and as per your statement to the media day before- there will be no live streaming or videography of the meeting, given that the matter is sub judice in the highest court of the country. Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by both parties."

"The meeting is scheduled for 5 PM today today at Hon'ble Chief Minister’s Kalighat residence. The same delegation which came for the last discussions is requested to arrive at the venue at 4:45 PM today. We look forward to your positive response and a productive and fruitful discussion," Pant said in his letter. A delegation of at least 30 plus junior doctors had visited Banerjee's Kalighat residence on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the protest of the junior doctors, under West Bengal Junior Doctor's Front, was started on August 10, a day after the PGT doctor was brutally raped and murdered inside the hospital premises.