Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday paid a surprise visit to the agitating junior doctors’ protest site in front of the Swasthya Bhawan at Salt Lake and urged them again to resume work, ending their 35-day long cease-work programme in OPDs across 26 government medical colleges demanding justice for the horrific rape and murder incident at R G Kar hospital on 9 August.
She has also assured the agitating junior medics of no disciplinary action.
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Miss Banerjee met the agitators outside Swasthya Bhawan today, couple of days after the 34-member delegates had gone to the Nabanna, on Thursday evening, following chief secretary Manoj Pant’s email to attend a meeting with the CM. But the delegates did not attend the meeting and came back to their protest site after waiting in front of the Nabanna Sabhaghar for about two hours after their demand for live streaming was not met.
Taking everyone by surprise, Miss Banerjee along with director general of police Rajeev Kumar and other senior police officials visited the site around 1.05 pm. She said she had come as an elder sister, Didi, not as chief minister.
“I have complete solidarity with your movement. Hat’s off to your protest braving night-long rain. I too could not sleep last night thinking of your plight. I came here to meet you despite restrictions in terms of my own safety and security. I will look into your demands with sympathy. This is my last attempt here,” Miss Banerjee using microphones.
“I believe many have died due to lack of treatment. Your parents are also worried. Please resume work,” Mamata told the protesting junior doctors who have been camping outside Swasthya Bhawan since Wednesday afternoon. “We have started work on improving the healthcare infrastructure and development. All Rogi Kalyan Samity (RKS) in medical colleges and multi-super hospitals hereby stand cancelled in the state. Principals of the medical colleges will head the board now which will have representation from police, junior doctors and nurses,” she said.
The agitators started shouting slogans ‘we want justice’ as soon as they found the CM suddenly standing on the spot. She left the spot after finishing her address to junior doctors for about 15 minutes.
“I will not take any action. I am not the UP Police. They had clamped ESMA [Essential Services Maintenance Act], I will not,” she announced from the makeshift dais. “Remember, there is a Supreme Court hearing on 17th [Tuesday]. I don’t want any harm to come to you. I am your Didi,” she said.
She assured that their demands will be heard with sympathy and she will take a discussion after holding talks with the police ADG, chief secretary and home secretary Nandini Chakravarty.
“Please give me some time,” Mamata said.
The chief minister tried to distance herself from those accused of running a ‘syndicate’ in the hospitals.
“No culprit is my friend. Nor are they my enemies. And I have no connection with people allegedly involved. I don’t know them, they came through a process,” said Mamata.
“We are thankful to the CM for visiting us here and her assurance to solve the crisis looks positive to us. We are ready to sit for a meeting with her anytime as and when she wants,” said agitators.
