Junior doctors protesting against the rape and murder of their colleague at a Kolkata hospital in August rejected a second offer for talks from the West Bengal government on Wednesday, The Hindu reported.
They also put forward fresh conditions for holding talks with the government, including that the meeting be held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and that it be telecast live on news channels.
In response, Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya questioned if the protesting doctors were “guided by politics” and asked if they really wanted justice for their colleague.
The 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front has been leading protests for over a month seeking the resignation of the Kolkata police commissioner and senior state health department officials.
On Tuesday, the doctors defied a Supreme Court order directing them to end their strike and resume their duties by 5 pm that day. They said they would protest till their demands were met.
The court had warned the doctors that they may face disciplinary action if did not resume work by the deadline.
The same day, the protestors also rejected an offer from the state government for talks, objecting to an invitation that sought to restrict the number of representatives who could meet Banerjee.
On Wednesday, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant invited the junior doctors for talks with Mamata Banerjee, The Times of India reported. The chief minister also holds the health portfolio in the state government.
The chief secretary’s email included an invitation to a delegation of 12 to 15 doctors for talks at the state secretariat at 6 pm on Wednesday.
In response, the protesting doctors demanded the resignation of the principal secretary of health, the director of health services and the director of medical education. This was in addition to their prior demands.
The doctors also demanded that a 30-member delegation be allowed to take part in the talks, The Times of India reported.
Following this, Pant said that the state government was disheartened by the response of the junior doctors setting conditions for the talks. At a press conference, Bhattacharya and Pant said that everyone should adhere to the Supreme Court order as law-abiding citizens.
In response, Kinjal Nanda, a representative of the West Bengal Junior Doctor’s Front, said that there was “no political colour” to their demands. “We believe our demands are conducive to an open and productive discussion,” Nanda said.
In their earlier demands, the protesting doctors sought a speedy investigation in the rape and murder case, and that the state’s healthcare facilities be equipped with adequate security.
The group also said that the “threat culture” in West Bengal’s medical centres must end.
They also demanded disciplinary proceedings against Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the RG Kar College and Hospital at the time of the rape and murder, and other persons, under the 1971 West Bengal Services Classification, Control and Appeal Rules.
The rules provide for disciplinary action against government employees for misconduct.
Father of junior doctor alleges cover-up
The father of the junior doctor who was raped and murdered criticised the state government and the hospital authorities on Wednesday over the ongoing investigation into his daughter’s death, claiming that there was a “cover-up” in the case, The Indian Express reported.
“The hospital and her department have conspired to hide the truth behind my daughter’s demise,” he said.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court transferred the rape and murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The father on Wednesday said that while he had faith in the central agency’s investigation, he believed there was more than one person involved in the crime.
“I expect the CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] to book people who are part of larger conspiracy,” he said. “The college principal, her department people, they are involved.”
He also said that the demands made by the protesting doctors were all justified, The Hindu reported. “We hope the government and the authorities come to their right senses and come to the right solution and serve justice soon,” he said.
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