KOLKATA: It took a politicial masterstroke and a step by no means taken by any Bengal CM — going as much as a mass agitation web site and addressing the protesters immediately — to pave the best way for the primary dialogue between the govt. and the junior medical doctors for the reason that brutal rape and homicide of an RG Kar junior physician on Aug 9.
Mamata Banerjee‘s “last effort” to interrupt the impasse — on which she spent rather less than half-an-hour on the protest web site and addressed the protesters for lower than 14 minutes — turned the protesters’ Thursday’s demand for “transparency” on its head as she spoke in full public view in entrance of a whole lot of protesters and tv cameras.
The message was direct and had three details: “Please return to work as sufferers are struggling; we are going to contemplate all of your calls for with sympathy however we want a while; and the govt. is not going to act in opposition to a single physician on cease-work.” It was punctuated with reminders that she had come to them “not as a CM however your Didi” and recalled her political previous through which protests performed a outstanding position.
Learn extra: ‘This is my last attempt to resolve crisis’: West Bengal CM Mamata makes surprise visit to protest site of junior doctors
Banerjee reached the protest web site in Salt Lake slightly earlier than 1pm. “I’ll take 5 minutes. I salute your stir. I perceive the ache of this agitation; I too have risen out of scholar politics, have suffered loads,” she started as some among the many protesters continued with their “We wish justice” chants. “You have got been protesting and have suffered on this inclement climate. I couldn’t sleep, I too suffered, felt your ache,” she mentioned, referring to the in a single day rain. “You have got been on this agitation for over 32-34 days now, I too have spent sleepless nights,” she added earlier than transferring on to the protesters’ important calls for.
“I’ll sympathetically negotiate all of your calls for. However I want a while to check them. I do not run a authorities alone; there’s the chief secretary, the house secretary, the director-general of police,” she mentioned. “However each one responsible might be punished and we, too, need justice for Tilottama. We request the CBI to fast-track the probe in order that we will have justice in three months,” Banerjee added, earlier than repeating: “I attraction to you to present me a while. Will contemplate all of your calls for for those who preserve your belief in me.”
Learn extra: ‘Ready to resign’: Mamata Banerjee as deadlock with doctors over RG Kar case continues
“You have got suffered and your households are fearful. However many sufferers are dying at state-run hospitals,” the Bengal CM informed her “brothers and sisters” earlier than explaining how the federal government had already began appearing on their calls for: “Work on infrastructure and improvement has began. The Rogi Kalyan Samitis at RG Kar and different hospitals might be disbanded and principals will head these our bodies, which may also have senior and junior medical doctors, nurses, one public consultant and one cop.”
Banerjee, dissociating herself from the part of well being division officers and medical doctors in opposition to whom the bigger medical group has been expressing its anger, mentioned she had “no relation” with the responsible and “didn’t know them”. “All of them come via a course of. The information lastly come to me (for being signed). I’ll act in accordance with my means in opposition to the responsible who’ve hyperlinks with the homicide and corruption. My solely humble request is please speak to us and return to work,” she mentioned earlier than transferring to her second key promise: “no motion in opposition to junior medical doctors for the stir”.
Learn extra: ‘Willing to have discussion’: Doctors on Mamata Banerjee’s ‘last attempt’ to resolve crisis
“We aren’t the Uttar Pradesh Police. I’m in opposition to any motion in opposition to a single physician. I do know the work you do,” Banerjee mentioned, referring to a latest incident in a government-run hospital the place a affected person died as a result of senior medical doctors “couldn’t change a catheter”.
“I’ve come right here as a fellow soldier. I’ll act, simply give me a while,” she pleaded, iterating that she was the CM of a state and belonged to a political celebration however she was there on the protest as “your Didi”. “I share your ache,” she mentioned.
Banerjee then spoke of her protests and specified how she had fasted for 26 days throughout the Singur agitation. “The CPM authorities was there. Not a single particular person got here to satisfy me. I can’t drive you to withdraw your stir, I can simply attraction,” she mentioned, including: “My coming right here doesn’t diminish my stature, it will increase my stature.”
Banerjee left the location round 1.30pm, reminding the protesters that it was her “last effort” that — in the end — paid off, bringing them to the dialogue desk at her Kalighat dwelling.
