Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 16: The first meeting to break the impasse over the junior doctors’ strike in Kolkata with the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee after the government’s “fifth and final attempt” for talks ended on Monday after two hours of discussions but the outcome of it will be known only after the agitating doctors return to their protest site in front of the “Swastha Bhavan,” the headquarter of the state health department, and discuss the proposals with their protesting colleagues.
The protesting junior doctors after two failed attempts at talks with Ms Banerjee had reached her Kalighat residence for the third time on Monday. The state government had described the offer for talks its “fifth and final invitation.” Unlike the last two times, they made it past the doorway and joined the meeting for talks. Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, around 30 doctors had arrived at Ms Banerjee’s home at 6.20 pm. The meeting, which was expected to begin at 5 pm, finally started around 7 pm and ended around 9 pm.
Two earlier meetings — the last one on Saturday — had fallen though as the two sides could not come to a consensus on whether the proceedings should be live transmitted or videographed, with the video handed to the doctor’s right after it ends. In both cases, the doctors had reached the venue but left without sitting down at the table.
This time, most of the conditions have been laid down in writing ahead of the meet, negating any chance of last-minute surprises. The doctors took their own stenographers who would record the minutes and the document was signed by everyone present. The government also had a video recording.
The doctors are learnt to have presented their five key demands to the government, seeking justice and reforms in healthcare. Their demands include strict punishment for those involved in the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, alongside action against former RG Kar Medical College principal Sandip Ghosh. Punishment to all those involved in the rape and murder of the trainee doctor as well as destruction of evidence. Resignation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, adequate security arrangements for healthcare workers and eliminating ‘threat culture’ prevailing in government healthcare institutions
The doctors have also stipulated that they give their response to whatever the government had to say after going back to the protest site and discussing it with the others. They have also made it clear that they will not give up on their five-point demand. “We also want the issue to be resolved but not at the cost of any form of compromise on our five demands. We are going to the meeting to discuss all the issues with an open mind,” one of the protesters who is also participating in the meeting said before joining the meeting.
The impasse over the doctors’ demand for justice for the rape-murder of the 31-year-old medic has been on for more than a month. The Supreme Court has already ordered that the doctors put an end to the cease-work and get back to patient care, which is suffering.
The order had ended the spread of the cease-work, as doctors across India had stood up to show solidarity with the protesters. But Bengal doctors had refused, doubling down with the protests as the common people kept up their support.
On Thursday, the first time the talks fell through even before they started, the Chief Minister had assured doctors that no action would be taken against them, and that the government is always ready for a dialogue.
Uttar Pradesh, she said, had taken action in similar circumstances. “We also have ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act). But I will not do that. I am not a supporter of Emergency,” she had said. But there was also a warning — she said she is also answerable to the families that lose their loved ones because of the absence of doctors in hospitals. The government had claimed that till then, that figured hovered around the late 20s.
The doctors had rubbished the allegation, pointing out that while the state had nearly one lakh registered doctors, the number of junior doctors was around 4,500 and their absence cannot cause a breakdown of the healthcare system.