Kolkata: Despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee waiting to meet the delegation of the protesting doctors at the state secretariat Nabanna, the protesting doctors didn’t visit the state secretariat. A protesting doctor stated that they didn’t get any communication from Nabanna but had received an email from the Health Secretary which they feel is an ‘insult’.
“We are always open to discussions but the way the email was written is insulting. We will think of visiting Nabanna if the communication is done in a healthier way. In the mail it was written ‘Respected Sir’. We would like to state that even women are there in the protest. A delegation of only 10 members was allowed. But if we go, we will discuss with all the hospitals and then decide upon the meeting,” said one of the protesting doctors.
On the other hand, Trinamool Congress (TMC) minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that the Chief Minister had waited in the secretariat till 7:30 pm to meet the delegation of the protesting doctors.
“A mail was sent at 6:10 pm asking a 10 members delegation to visit Nabanna to discuss their issues with the Chief Minister but no reply was given to that mail,” added Bhattacharya.
Notably, countering the Supreme Court’s order that the protesting doctors should resume their work by 5 pm on Tuesday, the doctors said that if their demands are fulfilled by the state government by 5 pm on Tuesday then they will resume their work.
Earlier, this day the protesting doctors marched towards Swasthya Bhawan and started demonstrating after police stopped them 100 meters away from the venue. The students were seen carrying symbolic brains and eyes clearing that the government should use their ‘brain for justice’ and see the ‘right’ thing.
Though the health officials claimed that they are ready to meet the doctors, the protestors demanded that the health officials should come out from their office to meet them. Amid protest, police cars were seen entering the protest site and the doctors claimed that it was purposely done to ignite the protesting doctors more.
“The protests will continue and we will conduct peaceful demonstrations the entire night outside the Swathya Bhawan and if the demands are not met then even on Wednesday the protests will continue,” said a protesting doctor.
The doctors demands include installation of additional CCTV coverage, deployment of female security personnel, adequate lighting, toilets, and resting spaces to name a few.
According to a press statement by the doctors, apart from the said demands, the statement also said, “We had hoped to bring about a fundamental change in the health system, making it truly people centric through our movement for Abhaya’s justice.
From the Chief Minister's press statement, we learned that the CP allegedly submitted his resignation. He himself admitted to the investigation's negligence. So why has his resignation not been accepted? Is the police's job only to control crowds during festivals? Is this the force on which our women of this state will depend? He should be immediately relieved of his duties.
DC North, who offered money to Abhaya's family, should be brought under investigation. DC Central, who tried to shield Avik De with falsehoods, should face punitive action.”
