Kolkata: A day after West Bengal government appointed new Kolkata Police Commissioner and transferred health officials amid the ongoing protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor here, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee urged the protesting junior doctors to call off their strike.
Banerjee, also CM Mamata Banerjee's nephew, stressed on the need to hold the CBI accountable and ensure that no perpetrator is spared while pointing out that the Central agency has failed to crack a single case handed over to it in the last 10 years.
The TMC leader said that the initiatives for ensuring safety and security in the hospitals are expected to be implemented within 14 days and reminded that the government has already transferred top officials of the Kolkata Police and health department as demanded by the protesting doctors.
The junior doctors, who continued their cease work in hospitals for the 40th day today, have decided to contine their sit-in and not join duty till they find "more visible impact" on the safety and security issues. They have written to state chief secretary Manoj Pant on Wedneday seeking a discussion on the "unresolved issues".
Taking to his X handle to urge the doctors to lift their strike, Banerjee appealed to them to work together with the state government to serve people as well as ensure that the initiatives recommended by the task force are implemented fast.
Since day one, I have supported the doctors in their concerns regarding safety and security, and I have always maintained that most of their concerns, barring a few, are valid, sensible and justified. As per the SC's directions and the GoWB’s submission before the SC yesterday,…
— Abhishek Banerjee (@abhishekaitc) September 18, 2024
"As a gesture of goodwill, the doctors should now consider CALLING OFF THE STRIKE AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH GoWB to serve the people and expedite the implementation of the task force's initiatives to ensure these changes are promptly executed," he tweeted.
The TMC leader also pointed out that he has supported majority of the concerns of the doctors related to safety and security since the beginning. He assured that initiatives, including installation of CCTVs and infrastructural upgradations in the government hospitals across the state are likely to be implemented within two weeks.
"Since day one, I have supported the doctors in their concerns regarding safety and security, and I have always maintained that most of their concerns, barring a few, are valid, sensible and justified. As per the SC's directions and the GoWB’s submission before the SC yesterday, most of the measures for improving their safety and security are in progress, including the installation of CCTV cameras and infrastructural developments in Medical Colleges and Hospitals across West Bengal, which are expected to be completed within 14 days. Additionally, the government has honored their demands for transferring certain top officials in the Health Department and Kolkata Police, as confirmed by the HCM the day before in her media address," his post read.
"Lastly, it is crucial to hold the CBI accountable and ensure that no perpetrators are spared, with swift punishment handed down at the earliest opportunity. The CBI's record speaks for itself: over the past 10 years, they have not completed a single investigation they have undertaken. JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED," the post added.
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Agitating Junior Doctors Continue Sit-in, Seek Another Meeting With CM
