WB CM Mamata Banerjee agrees to doctors’ demands, announces removal of Kolkata CP, two health officials

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 17 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after meeting with the protesting junior doctors announced that she has agreed to most of doctors’ demands — the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal and removal of health department officials.

“Given the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal has said in the meeting that he is ready to resign,” said Mamata Banerjee while addressing the protesting doctors on Tuesday.

She said Vineet Goyal would hand over the responsibility to the new CP at 4 pm on Tuesday, adding that her government has decided to accept demands laid down by junior doctors.

Also, deputy commissioner North, Abhishek Gupta will be removed, said CM Banerjee.

“We tried listening to junior doctors…we have decided to change the DC (Kolkata Police Commissioner)…he agreed to resign himself…in the health department, they demanded the removal of 3 persons and we agreed for 2. We have agreed 99%, what else can we do? We have requested the junior doctors to come back to work so that the common citizens won’t suffer…” she said.

“… We have accepted 3 of their 4 demands… DC North (Abhishek Gupta) will also be removed and a decision will be taken about the new DC tomorrow. Apart from this, full attention will also be paid to the security of the doctors…” she added.

This comes in wake of demands by West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front and Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) to remove Kolkata Commissioner of Police as well as the replacement of all the senior officials in the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Mamata Government.

On Monday, West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front and Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) held a press conference in the national capital and laid down their demands.

Amid the ongoing protest against the rape and murder of the second-year postgraduate trainee doctor inside a seminar room of Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College on August 9, the front noted down five-point demands, which include the call for justice for the victim “Abhaya” and to expedite the investigation process in the case.

They also demanded the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME), the Director of Health Services (DHS), and the Health Secretary from the Department of Health and Family Welfare of the West Bengal Government.

The front called for “action against incompetent and complacent police authorities” and demanded the removal of Kolkata Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal as well as the Deputy Commissioner of Police of North and Central for administrative failure and alleged evidence tampering.