Junior Doctors to Meet CM Mamata

Junior Doctors’ Protest: Meeting with Mamata

Junior Doctors to Meet CM Mamata
Kolkata: Junior doctors from R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata, who are protesting the tragic rape and murder of a fellow junior doctor, have confirmed their intention to attend a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday. Despite agreeing to meet with the Chief Minister, the protesting doctors have refused to comply with the state government’s precondition of ending their hunger strike before the discussions. The meeting decision came after a general body discussion of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) that lasted until Sunday evening.

State Government’s Precondition Draws Surprise
The WBJDF, representing the protesting junior doctors, communicated their decision to the Chief Secretary Manoj Pant via email on Sunday. This response followed an email from the Chief Secretary on Saturday evening, which outlined that the junior doctors must withdraw their hunger strike before the meeting. The email also stated that the delegation should consist of no more than 10 members, with the meeting duration not exceeding 45 minutes.

The demand to end the hunger strike as a precondition came as a surprise to the protesting junior doctors. This condition was not mentioned in an earlier phone conversation between the Chief Minister and the doctors on Saturday afternoon. The phone conversation had taken place after Chief Secretary Pant and other senior officials visited the protest site unannounced. The doctors expressed their dissatisfaction, stating that such a condition was unexpected and not aligned with the earlier discussions.

Hunger Strike Enters 16th Day
Currently, eight junior doctors remain on a hunger strike, with seven stationed at Esplanade in Central Kolkata and one at the North Bengal Medical College & Hospital in Siliguri, Darjeeling district. The hunger strike has entered its 16th day, and the doctors are determined to continue their protest despite the government’s condition. The protesting junior doctors insist that their hunger strike will persist until their demands are adequately addressed.

Demands to be Presented at the Meeting
The decision to attend the meeting with Mamata Banerjee came after a general body meeting of the WBJDF on Sunday. According to Debasish Halder, a prominent figure in the movement, the front sent a detailed email to the Chief Secretary outlining their 10-point demands regarding the rape and murder incident. The delegation intends to present these demands during the meeting with the Chief Minister on Monday.

Halder emphasized that while they are attending the meeting without any preconditions, the continuation of the hunger strike remains non-negotiable. “We will be elaborating our demands at the meeting with the Chief Minister. We are attending without setting any pre-conditions. But our fast-unto-death agitation will continue, and we are not ready to accept the precondition set by the state government,” he stated. Among those on the hunger strike is Halder’s wife, Snigdha Hazra, who is also a junior doctor stationed at the Esplanade protest site.

Tensions Over State’s Response to Protest
The protest by the junior doctors has highlighted tensions between the medical community and the West Bengal government over its handling of the rape and murder case. The doctors have accused the government of not taking sufficient action in addressing their concerns and ensuring safety for medical professionals. Their 10-point demands include a call for greater security measures, swift legal action, and transparency in handling such serious incidents.

The junior doctors’ protest has drawn significant public attention, with various support groups advocating for their cause. However, the state government’s insistence on ending the hunger strike before the meeting has added another layer of complexity to the already strained relations between the doctors and the authorities. As the hunger strike continues and the doctors prepare for the meeting, all eyes are on Monday’s discussions, which could potentially influence the course of the ongoing protest.

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