A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged junior doctors to withdraw their indefinite hunger strike and come for talks, the medics’ fast-unto-death, demanding justice for a rape-murder victim at RG Kar Hospital, entered its 16th day on Sunday.
The protesting doctors have refused to end their strike until all their demands are met but have agreed to attend discussions with Banerjee.
On Saturday evening, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited the medics for talks with Banerjee for “45 minutes” from 5 pm on Monday at the state secretariat, Nabanna, conditional upon the withdrawal of the hunger strike.
Banerjee spoke to the doctors over the phone during a visit to the protest site in Kolkata’s Esplanade area and urged them to end their hunger strike, stating that most of their demands had been addressed. However, she rejected their insistence on the removal of state Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam.
The junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death for the last 16 days, calling for systemic changes in the state’s healthcare infrastructure and demanding justice for their deceased colleague. So far, six doctors on hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while eight others continue their indefinite fast, insisting on constructive action from the state government by Monday to resolve the deadlock.
Banerjee emphasised the importance of maintaining healthcare services, stating, “Everybody has the right to protest, but it shouldn’t affect healthcare services. I would request you all to withdraw your fast.” She highlighted that while several officials, including the Commissioner of Police and the Director of Medical Education, have been removed, it is not feasible to remove all department personnel at once.
The Chief Minister appealed to the doctors’ sense of responsibility, noting the impact of the strike on healthcare in the state. “People are dependent on you for treatment. Where will the poor people go? They are treated free in government hospitals. Please forget my position and treat me as your ‘Didi’. These are your just demands, but you should serve the people,” she urged.
The agitating doctors, joined by colleagues statewide, have threatened to escalate their protest by organising a strike of all medical professionals in West Bengal on Tuesday if their demands are not met. A mega rally is planned for Sunday to further press their claims. The junior doctors initiated a ‘cease-work’ on August 9 following the alleged rape and murder of their colleague at RG Kar Hospital, with the hunger strike beginning on October 5 after nearly 50 days of protest in two phases.