Meeting between CM and junior doctors over RG Kar impasse ends after two hours

Kolkata: The talks between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and agitating junior doctors to resolve the impasse stemming from the rape and murder of a medic at RG Kar Medical Hospital was held for nearly two hours on Monday evening. The two sides discussed various demands of the medics including the prevailing "threat culture" at state-run hospitals.

The meeting, held on the 17th day of a fast unto death by a section of protesting doctors, was streamed Live for the first time from the state secretariat Nabanna.

At the meeting, Banerjee repeatedly urged the junior doctors to end their fast, stating that most of their demands had been addressed, while rejecting the one for removing the state health secretary.

"At RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, several junior doctors and medical students were suspended without following proper procedures and rules. How can these students or resident doctors be suspended just on the basis of complaints? Who gave the college authorities the right to take such a step without informing the state government? Is this not a threat culture?" the Chief Minister asked.

Following this, Aniket Mahato, an agitating doctor who had to be hospitalised after five days of fasting, countered Banerjee by saying those who were suspended "have been very much part of the threat culture and don't deserve to be doctors."

"If needed, the state government can assess their performance and then decide. The atmosphere of the medical college campus has been vitiated by these goons under the guise of students. If you recheck their answer sheets, you will see these students don't deserve to get even pass marks," he said.

The junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death for the last 17 days, demanding among others justice for their deceased colleague and calling for systemic changes in the state's healthcare infrastructure.

So far, six doctors on hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while eight others remain on an indefinite fast, demanding that the state government take constructive action by October 21 to resolve the deadlock.

Banerjee promised to look into their demands.