The Mamata Banerjee government has extended its fifth invitation for talks to junior doctors protesting over the rape-murder of a 31-year-old medico at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.The junior doctors have refused to rejoin work till justice is served in the heinous case and several top officials are shunted out. Earlier meetings between the state government and the doctors were called off due to disagreements on several issues, such as live-streaming.
In an email to the protesting doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said that the doctors must resume their duties, as per the Supreme Court’s September 9 directive.
“This is the fifth and final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the Honourable Chief Minister and your delegates. 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,” the letter states.
The chief secretary underlined that the meeting cannot be videographed or live-streamed — the point on which the earlier meeting fell through on Saturday.
“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 email adds.
“The meeting is scheduled for 5 PM today ie 16th September 2024 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,” it says.
Earlier meetings planned between the Chief Minister and the junior doctors led to dramatic scenes. On September 12, the doctors went to the state secretariat Nabanna to meet Banerjee, but refused to join the meeting after they were told the proceedings could not be live-streamed.
Visuals of Banerjee waiting for the junior doctors went viral and she said she had waited for two hours.