Kolkata:West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday urged the junior doctors protesting the rape and murder of their colleague at RG Kar Hospital to end their fast-unto-death, stating that most of their demands have been addressed while rejecting their insistence on removing the state health secretary.
Speaking to the doctors over the phone during a visit by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty to the protest site in Esplanade, Banerjee said, "Everybody has the right to protest, but it shouldn't affect healthcare services. I would request you all to withdraw your fast." The junior doctors have been demanding the removal of the state Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, besides addressing other issues.
In response, Banerjee acknowledged their frustration but said, "You know why I did not remove the health secretary. It is not possible to remove everybody in a department in one go. We had earlier removed the DHS and DME. Please rise above politics and rejoin work." "How can you decide which officer will be removed or not? Is this logical?" she questioned.
The junior doctors have been on a fast-unto-death for two weeks, demanding justice for their deceased colleague and calling for systemic changes in the state's healthcare infrastructure. So far, six doctors on hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while eight others remain on an indefinite fast, demanding that the state government take constructive action by October 21 to resolve the deadlock.
The CM stressed that the doctors should withdraw their strike and meet her at the state secretariat Nabanna on Monday to further discuss their demands. "I have removed the Commissioner of Police (CP), the Director of Medical Education (DME), and the Director of Health Services (DHS), but I cannot remove everyone in the department," Banerjee explained.
"Some of your demands need policy decisions. We will cooperate to the fullest extent possible, but it is not acceptable that you will dictate to the government what should be done," she asserted. She appealed to their sense of responsibility, emphasising the impact the strike was having on healthcare services 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, who have been joined by their colleagues across the state, have also threatened to escalate the protest by organising a strike of all medical professionals in West Bengal on October 22 if their demands are not met.