Civil society members write to CM, CS for mediation on doctors’ fast

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (IANS Photo)


A section of the civil society on Wednesday wrote to chief minister Mamata Banerjee and chief secretary Manoj Pant requesting their interventions on the junior doctors’ ongoing fast-unto-death programme at Esplanade and demanding justice for the rape and murder.

In an email signed by more than 70 persons, belonging to different professions like actor, academicians, doctors, lawyers the signatories have requested Miss Banerjee and Mr Pant to fulfil the charter of demands of the agitating junior medics attached with government medical colleges across the state, who have been organising movements against the incident.

The agitators and their seniors felt that there have been major administrative and infrastructural loopholes in connection with proper arrangements like installations of CCTV cameras, deployment for police personnel for safety and security of doctors, nurses and patients inside state-run healthcare facilities, adequate number of rest rooms and wash rooms and supply of medicines and threat culture unleashed by a section of influential doctors allegedly belonging to the ruling Trinamul Congress in public healthcare services, according to the mail sent by civil society members.

Following the incident at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital the junior doctors are feeling insecure and that’s why have started fast-unto-death demanding fulfillment of 10 points, the email signed by Goutam Bhadra, Bibhas Chakraborty, Meeratun Nahar, Rudraprasad Sengupta and others.

They felt that the demands of the agitating junior doctors are justified and hoped that the chief minister and chief secretary would sit with the protesters to solve the crisis.

On the other hand, showing solidarity with the junior doctors, senior doctors today again tendered token mass resignations. Senior doctors of North Bengal Medical College Hospital, N R S Medical College Hospital, Medical College Hospital (MCH) etc tendered token resignation urging the state government to accept their request.

More than 230 senior doctors tendered mass resignation since Tuesday when nearly 60 medics of R G Kar Medical College submitted their resignation letter to the director of medical education (DME).

The state government has not yet shown any initiative to hold talks with the protestors till this evening to discuss their demands.