The first round of talks between the West Bengal government and the agitating junior doctors began at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat on Monday evening to address the RG Kar impasse. After four unsuccessful bids to initiate a dialogue to resolve the deadlock, a delegation of agitating junior doctors arrived at Banerjee’s residence for the crucial talks.
This came two days after the dialogue failed to take off over disagreement on live-streaming of the meeting, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Monday sent a “fifth and final” invitation to the protesting junior doctors for talks to end the RG Kar impasse. The proposal to meet has been accepted by the protesting doctors.
In an email to the protesting junior doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant asked them to reach Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence at Kalighat at 5 pm on Monday for the talks, PTI reported.
“This is the fifth and the final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the honourable CM and the delegates. In line with our discussion the day before (Saturday), we are once again inviting you for the meeting with the CM at her Kalighat residence for discussions with an open mind,” he wrote.
The doctors held a general body meeting after which decided to accept the invitation for talks.
Pant hoped “Good sense will prevail” as mutually agreed on Saturday that there will be no live-streaming or videography of the meeting given the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court.
“Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by both the parties,” he said.
The same delegation that engaged in talks with Banerjee for the last meeting at her residence on Saturday has been asked to arrive at the Bengal Chief Minister’s residence.
“We look forward to your positive response and a productive and fruitful discussion,” the letter further said.
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Junior doctors of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital have been on a cease work in protest against the rape-murder of a doctor in the facility on August 9.
Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site near Swasthyo Bhavan where junior doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, asking them to come for talks, but the proposed meeting fell through with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave “unceremoniously” after waiting for three hours at the gates of CM’s residence.
After the protesters refused to enter Banerjee’s residence due to the government’s rejection of their demand for a live telecast, she came out to appeal to the doctors to join the talks and urged them “not to insult her,” and promised them that a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting would be given.
(With inputs from PTI)