CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The junior doctors’ protests in Kolkata saw another dramatic day. On Monday, the protesters finally met with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence in Kalighat. The meeting, called “positive” by the CM, lasted for more than five hours.
At the end of the meeting, Chief Minister Banerjee declared that, in response to the doctors’ demand, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and DCP North of Kolkata Police, along with two senior health department officials—the Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS)—would be transferred after 4 pm on Tuesday.
CM Banerjee requested the junior doctors, who have been on strike, to resume duty as soon as possible. “We have accepted 99 per cent of their demands. Now we request them to return to work. There’s flood situation in the state. We are also fighting malaria and dengue,” she told the press after the meeting.
In the meeting, attended by a delegation of over 30 protesters, they presented a five-point demand as part of their movement, seeking justice for the trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
One of their demands included enhanced safety and security measures, such as designated rooms and washrooms for on-duty doctors, sufficient female security personnel, and the installation of CCTV cameras. In response, the chief minister announced that the state government has set aside Rs 100 crore for this purpose.
The protesting junior doctors also called for an end to the culture of threats on state-run medical campuses. During the meeting, it was mutually agreed that they would collaborate closely with the chief secretary to address and resolve the challenges faced by the medical fraternity.