Kolkata doctor rape-murder: Protesting doctors ready to meet with Mamata
The West Bengal government has extended an invitation to the protesting doctors for a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at 6:00pm on Wednesday, NDTV reported. The doctors have been staging protests outside Swasthya Bhawan, demanding action against those involved in the August 9 rape-murder of a fellow doctor and an alleged cover-up. They are demanding the resignation of top officials, including Kolkata Police commissioner and health secretary.
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Doctor Aniket Mandal, a representative of the protesting doctors, confirmed their willingness to meet with Banerjee. "To clarify this, we will send a mail to the CM's office and put forward our demands. We want to talk to the Chief Minister," Mandal told NDTV. On Monday, the Supreme Court directed the doctors to return to duty by 5:00pm on Tuesday and asked the state government to not take any action against them.
Doctors defy Supreme Court's directive, continue protest
But the doctors continued their protests on Tuesday, saying they would not rejoin work till their demands were met. They put up sheds, arranged fans, and provided food and water, indicating that they have no plans to back off till their demands are met. They also rejected Banerjee's invitation for talks after an email sent by the state's Health Secretary N S Nigam said, "Your small delegation (maximum 10 persons) may visit 'Nabanna' now to meet government representatives."
Arrest and investigation update in RG Kar case
State finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya stated that the chief minister was waiting, but a protesting doctor referred to the email as a "insult," noting their demand for Nigam's resignation and the representation limit. "Restricting number of representatives for meeting with state govt officials to 10 humiliating for us," said agitating doctors. The protests were triggered by the rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Mamata Banerjee's allegations and plea amid protests
Aside from the resignation of police commissioner Vineet Goyal and top health authorities, doctors are calling for safe working conditions for healthcare workers in the state's hospitals. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Sanjay Roy, a civil volunteer seen on CCTV entering the seminar hall at 4:03am in connection with this case. He later told the CBI that he was innocent and the woman had been lying unconscious when he entered the hall.
