‘I come as Didi, not the CM’: Mamata Banerjee pacifies doctors

Mamata Banerjee makes surprise visit to protest site, tries to negotiate with doctors who have been on strike for 30 days

Amid the continuing impasse, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the junior doctors were protesting, and assured them that she would look into their demands and take action if anyone was found guilty.

Banerjee assured the protesting doctors that she would not take any action against them because she did not believe in suppressing a democratic movement as “Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh”. However, after she left the site, the agitating doctors said they were not ready to compromise on their demands till discussions were held, indicating no immediate breakthrough in the impasse.

Protesting doctors speak to the media. Pic/PTI

Accompanied by DGP Rajiv Kumar, Banerjee reached the site in Sector 5 around 1 pm, taking those present there by surprise. “I came to meet you as your “didi” (elder sister) not as the chief minister,” she said. “I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty,” she added. Urging the protesting doctors to return to work, Banerjee said would never allow any injustice to them. “Let the guilty be punished. I will definitely take action if anyone is found guilty.,” she said.

Be direct: Victim’s mother

The mother of the rape-murder victim of RG Medical College and Hospital on Saturday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be forthright in her comments about action against culprits.

Speaking to reporters at her residence on the northern fringes of Kolkata, the victim’s mother, however, expressed hope that the discussions between the CM and the agitating doctors would yield results. “Instead of merely saying that whoever is found guilty would be punished, she should have been more categorical and direct. Considering the destruction of evidence at the crime scene, and the arrest of only one person, we were expecting the CM to be more forthright,” she said.

However, she said that any initiative to resolve the deadlock caused by the doctor’s “cease work” at hospitals over the last one month following the incident, was welcome but she also demanded the arrest of all the perpetrators and officials behind the attempted “cover up”. “I wish the state government does not take any punitive action against the agitating doctors who are waging a battle for justice,” she said.

Doctors agree to meet, promise nothing

Responding to the mail by West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the agitating doctors said they would attend the meeting and place their demands before the chief minister. “We would attend the meeting with our representatives. We will place our five demands. We are going to the discussions with an open mind, but no one should be under the illusion that we will compromise on our demands,” an agitating doctor said. The WB government invited agitating junior doctors to CM Mamata Banerjee’s residence at 6 pm on Saturday. In an email, CS Manoj Pant emphasised that 15 representatives were invited to the meeting.

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