As doctors protesting against the brutal rape and murder of a trainee colleague at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital failed to turn up for a meeting with her, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that she is ready to step down to ensure justice but they (the protesters) don’t want justice but only power.

The doctors have been protesting following the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital, defying both a Supreme Court order and the government’s repeated appeals.

In a video statement released today, Banerjee expressed her frustration over the situation.

“I am ready to resign from the Chief Minister’s post. I am not concerned about the position. I want justice, and my only concern is that justice is served,” Banerjee said.

She added that while she respects the movement and is even willing to step down to ensure justice for the people, she believes the protesting doctors are not seeking justice but power.

“I’m ready to quit for justice,” she reiterated.

Banerjee also shared details of her efforts to resolve the deadlock, revealing that she waited for three days with senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Director General, and her Minister of State, in the hope that the doctors would come forward to settle their grievances.

“Even when they didn’t accept the verdict of the Supreme Court, I waited. We want justice for the common people and their treatment,” she added, noting that despite the court’s ruling, no disciplinary action has been taken against the doctors. “Sometimes, it is our duty to tolerate,” she remarked.

Her statement came after doctors refused to turn up for a meeting with her even as she waited for nearly one and a half hours.

The doctors reportedly demanded a live telecast of their meeting with Banerjee. However, West Bengal Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, conveyed that while live streaming was not feasible, the entire session would be documented through video recording.

“The chief minister has been waiting for over an hour and a half. We have tried to explain to the doctors that their demand for a live stream cannot be met, but we are ready to document the entire session. There should be a limit to such demands,” Pant told reporters, urging the doctors to reconsider their stance.

Despite these assurances, the doctors have refused to end their strike, continuing their protest even as the state faces mounting pressure to resolve the healthcare crisis.

According to an affidavit by the state government in the Supreme Court, 23 people have died and lakhs have been refused by hospitals allegedly dueto the doctors’ protest.