The second round of talks between junior doctors and West Bengal government officials failed to resolve the ongoing strike over the RG Kar Rape case.
The doctors accused the state of refusing to provide written minutes of the meeting. Following the discussion, the doctors announced they would continue their strike and ‘cease work’ movement until the government issues written orders on ensuring their safety at state-run hospitals.
Dr. Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating doctors, expressed disappointment, saying, “Although the talks went smoothly, the government’s refusal to provide signed and written minutes of the discussion has left us feeling let down.” He added that they would send an email with their demands to the government and continue their strike until written directives were issued.
The doctors also pushed for a departmental inquiry against Health Secretary N S Nigam following the alleged rape-murder of an RG Kar hospital trainee, a demand the state refused. Since the incident, Kolkata has witnessed widespread protests, highlighting corruption in government healthcare and allegations of pressure on students and trainee doctors.
This marked the second meeting between doctors and the state in 48 hours. The previous round took place with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday at her Kalighat residence. The latest meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, began at 7:30 p.m. at the state secretariat and lasted over five-and-a-half hours.
During the meeting, the doctors raised concerns about safety at hospitals, transparency in referral systems, bed allocation, healthcare recruitment, and the current “threat culture” on campuses. They also demanded better student representation in unions, hostels, and hospital decision-making bodies, as well as the formation of task forces and holding elections for college councils and resident doctors’ associations.
According to one doctor, “The government agreed that most of our demands were just and required immediate action. However, we were disheartened when the chief secretary refused to provide us with signed minutes of the meeting.” The government issued unsigned minutes, indicating an agreement on some demands, such as female police officers for night patrols, panic buttons in departments, and helplines for rapid response.
Despite calls from Banerjee to end the strike, the doctors announced they would continue their sit-in protest outside the Swasthya Bhawan, which had been ongoing for nine days. Banerjee had already made concessions, including transferring Kolkata police chief Vineet Goyal and removing two senior health officials in response to the medics’ demands.
Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee urged the junior doctors to call off the strike and collaborate with the government to address public needs and implement safety measures. He encouraged them to show goodwill and resume their duties while working toward the swift execution of the task force’s initiatives.
(With inputs from agency)
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