Junior doctors in Kolkata announced that they would continue their strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor after the second round of talks with the officials of the West Bengal government failed. The doctors alleged that the state refused to give written minutes of the meeting after which they decided to continue with the agitation.
After the meeting on Wednesday, the medics announced to continue their ‘cease work’ agitation till the government issues a writtten directive on the safety of doctors in state-run hospitals as agreed in the meeting.
“While the talks went smoothly, the government refused to hand over signed and written minutes of the issues which were discussed. We are feeling let down and disappointed with the government’s attitude,” one of the agitating doctors, Aniket Mahato, reported PTI.
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Another junior doctor claimed that the Chief Secretary had agreed to all their demands but when they asked for written minutes of the meeting, it did not mention anything about the demands. “They did not focus on our demands…they asked us to mail…the minutes that we asked, they didn’t give that to us…,” the junior doctor told ANI.
The medics will send an email on Thursday detailing their demands based on which the government has assured that it will issue directives, Mahato said. “We will continue our agitation and take a call on it if and when those directives are issued,” he added.
A demand by the doctors to initiate a departmental inquiry against health secretary N S Nigam over the rape and murder case was also turned down by the state, as per the report.
The second round of talks came after the medics held the first round of discussion with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday at her Kalighat residence.
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During the Wednesday meeting that lasted for over five and a half hours, the protesting doctors highlighted issues of their safety inside state-run hospital premises, and details of formulation and functions of the promised task force at the meeting.
Following the meeting, unsigned minutes of the meeting released by the Bengal government stated the medicos demanded the constitution of an inquiry committee against the Principal Health Secretary for alleged misconduct over the past 4-5 years, including fostering a health syndicate.
According to the minutes, the government requested the protesting doctors send 4-5 representatives to the task force for safety and security, but a broader representation from all medical colleges was proposed by the doctors.
