Mamata urges docs to resume work during surprise visit to protest site, medics say no compromise

Kolkata, Sep 14 (PTI) Amid the continuing impasse, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the junior doctors were protesting, and assured them that she would look into their demands and take action if anyone was found guilty.

Addressing the protesting doctors amid chants of “we want justice” outside the Swasthya Bhawan in Salt Lake, Banerjee said she had been spending sleepless nights because the medics were agitating on the road amid rains and described her visit as the “last attempt” to resolve the crisis.

Banerjee assured the protesting doctors that she would not take any action against them because she did not believe in suppressing a democratic movement as “Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh”.

However, after she left the site, the agitating doctors said they were not ready to compromise on their demands till discussions were held, indicating no immediate breakthrough in the impasse.

Accompanied by DGP Rajiv Kumar, Banerjee reached the site in Sector 5 around 1 pm, taking those present there by surprise.

“I came to meet you as your ‘didi’ (elder sister) not as the chief minister,” she said.

“I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty,” she added.

Urging the protesting doctors to return to work, Banerjee said would never allow any injustice to them.

“This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis,” she said.

Noting that the Supreme Court had set September 10 as the deadline for them to return to work, Banerjee said she did not want the protesting doctors to suffer.

“The case will be heard before the Supreme Court on Tuesday. I don’t want you people to suffer… If you keep your faith in me, I will look into your complaints,” she said.

“If you wish to return to work, I promise you to consider your demands sympathetically. I do not run the government alone. I will discuss your demands with the chief secretary, home secretary, and the DGP,” she said.

Banerjee urged the CBI to complete the investigation into the rape and murder of the doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital soon.

“Let the guilty be punished. I will definitely take action if anyone is found guilty. This is all I have to say,” she maintained.

As chants of ‘we want justice’ rented the air, Banerjee asked the protestors “to talk to the CBI”, which was investigating the rape and murder case.

Banerjee said that when the junior doctors were on the road, she too was staying awake to ensure that they were safe.

“It rained all night on Friday. The way you are sitting here, I am suffering. I have also not slept night after night for the last 34 days. Because if you are on the road, I also have to stay awake as a guard,” she said.

The chief minister said that in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was used to dismantle similar protests.

“I will not take any action against you. This is not UP. They had implemented ESMA and stopped all sorts of strikes and rallies. But be rest assured, I will not do anything of that sort. I am against taking any action against doctors. I know that you do noble work. The seniors (doctors) need you. Think about my proposal. If I can come to this protest site to stand by you, I can also ensure justice and listen to your demands,” she said.

“I respect democratic movements. I am also a product of student movements and have been on hunger strike for 26 days during the Singur anti-land acquisition movement,” she said.

Banerjee also announced that patient welfare committees of all state-run hospitals would be dissolved with immediate effect.

“The patient welfare committees of all hospitals will be dissolved and new ones will be created. RG Kar’s patient welfare committee is also being dissolved. The new committees will be headed by the principals. There will be representatives of junior doctors, senior doctors, nurses, and police. I have made this decision,” she said.

Referring to the allegations that a conspiracy was being hatched to attack the protesting doctors, Banerjee urged the agitating doctors “not to consume anything provided by strangers”.

After the chief minister left the site, the protesting doctors said they would not compromise on their demands until discussions took place.

“We welcome the CM’s gesture and are ready to sit for talks. We too want to resolve this situation, but we will not compromise on our demands until discussions are held,” said one of the doctors, maintaining that any meeting with the state government should be live-streamed.

The medics have been camping outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the state Health Department, since Tuesday with a host of demands, including better security at state-run hospitals and the removal of top officials over the rape and murder of the doctor.

To end the impasse, the government had invited the doctors for a meeting with Banerjee on Thursday. Even as the doctors reached the state secretariat, the meeting did not happen with the government declining the demand to livestream it.

The junior doctors have been protesting for over a month, affecting the public healthcare services. The government claimed that 29 people have so far died allegedly because they did not receive treatment on time because of the protest.