West Bengal Govt invites protesting doctors for talks at 5 pm, denies live telecast

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 12 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Thursday wrote a letter to junior doctors protesting over the RG Kar hospital incident, urging them to attend a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 5 pm.

The state government, however, rejected the doctors’s demand for a live telecast of the meeting but, allowed to record it to ‘maintain transparency’. In his letter, the Chief Secretary restricted the delegation size to 15, citing the reason ‘smooth discussion’.

“The meeting shall not be live telecasted. However, the same can be recorded to maintain transparency. This will serve the purpose intended from your end, while also maintaining the sanctity of the proceedings, ensuring that all discussions are accurately documented,” the letter by the Chief Secretary reads.

“We look forward to your positive response and are committed to working together to benefit the innumerable patients dependent on the Government health infrastructure in the state,” West Bengal Chief secretary stated in his letter.

Earlier, the protesting doctors refused to accept West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s invitation for talks at the state secretariat to resolve the impasse over their refusal to return to work. The doctors refused to attend because it was said to be a closed-door meeting.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to hold a meeting to review the functioning of health facilities and improve safety, security and patient services in the state.

Principals, Directors and medical superintendents and vice principals (MSVPs) of all medical colleges and hospitals in the state were invited to the meeting. All Commissioners of Police and District Magistrates and Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) of all districts were also invited to this meeting.

Meanwhile, Junior doctors continued their protest at the Swasthya Bhawan Salt Lake area of West Bengal.