Kolkata: Protesting doctors refuse to call off strike
Protesting resident doctors in West Bengal on Tuesday refused to call off their agitation despite the Supreme Court warning them of disciplinary action if they did not end their strike, PTI reported.
Healthcare workers in Kolkata have been protesting for over a month seeking justice in the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old trainee doctor who was found dead at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. They have sought the resignation of the Kolkata police commissioner and senior state health department officials.
The protestors on Tuesday rejected an offer from the state government for talks, objecting to an email invite that sought to restrict the number of representatives who could meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
“We had asked the state government to remove the Kolkata police commissioner, health secretary, director of health services, and the director of medical education by 5 pm [Tuesday],” PTI news agency quoted one of the protesters as saying. “We are open to discussion.”
On Tuesday evening, Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam sent an email to the West Bengal Junior Doctor’s Forum, which is leading the agitation, saying that a delegation of up to ten persons could meet government representatives at the state secretariat. However, the protesters said that the language of the communique was disrespectful and “downright insensitive.” Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Chandrima Bhattacharya said that the chief minister waited for the protestors at the state secretariat till 7.30 pm, but left after she did not get a response. Mamata Banerjee holds the health portfolio in the state government.
The Supreme Court earlier warned the junior doctors that they may face “adverse action” if they did not resume work by 5 pm on Tuesday. A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud assured them that no disciplinary action would be taken if they met the deadline. The protesters, however, said that they would continue their agitation till their demands were met.
