The protesting junior medical doctors of Kolkata, after two failed makes an attempt at talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, held a two-hour dialogue along with her at her Kalighat residence this night. Forward of the assembly the state authorities had described it as a “fifth and last invitation for talks”. Escorted by a pilot police automobile, round 30 medical doctors had arrived at Ms Banerjee’s residence at 6.20 pm. The assembly, which was anticipated to start at 5 pm, lastly began round 7 pm and ended round 9 pm.
The medical doctors, although, are but to emerge from the Chief Ministers’ residence.
Two earlier conferences — the final one tried on Saturday — had fallen although as the 2 sides couldn’t come to a consensus on whether or not the proceedings needs to be reside transmitted or videographed, with the video handed to the medical doctors proper after it ends.
In each instances, the medical doctors had reached the venue however left with out sitting down on the proverbial desk. On the primary event, photos of the Chief Minister sitting in an empty assembly corridor of the state secretariat, ready for the medical doctors’ delegation, had gone viral.
So did Saturday’s cellphone movies of her asking the medical doctors to come back inside her Kalighat residence and have a cup of tea at the least even when they have been unwilling to hitch discussions. The medical doctors had refused, saying they need justice.
This time, many of the situations have been laid down in writing forward of the meet, negating any likelihood of last-minute surprises.
The medical doctors have taken their very own stenographers who would document the minutes and the doc will probably be signed by everybody current. The federal government may even have a video recording.
The medical doctors have additionally stipulated that they offer their response to no matter the federal government needed to say after going again to the protest web site and discussing it with the others. They’ve additionally made it clear that they won’t hand over on their five-point demand.
“We additionally need the difficulty to be resolved however not at the price of any type of compromise on our 5 calls for. We’re going to the assembly to debate all the problems with an open thoughts,” one of many protesters who can be taking part within the assembly, was quoted as saying by information company Press Belief of India.
The deadlock over the medical doctors’ demand for justice for the rape-murder of the 31-year-old medic has been on for greater than a month. The Supreme Court docket has already ordered that the medical doctors put an finish to the ceasework and get again to affected person care, which is struggling.
The order had ended the unfold of the ceasework, as medical doctors throughout India had stood as much as present solidarity with the protesters. However Bengal medical doctors had refused, doubling down with the protests because the widespread individuals stored up their assist.
On Thursday, the primary time the talks fell by means of even earlier than they began, the Chief Minister had assured medical doctors that no motion could be taken in opposition to them, and that the federal government is all the time prepared for a dialogue.
Uttar Pradesh, she stated, had taken motion in related circumstances. “We even have ESMA (Important Companies Upkeep Act). However I cannot do this. I’m not a supporter of Emergency,” she had stated. However there was additionally a warning — she stated she can be answerable to the households that lose their family members due to the absence of medical doctors in hospitals. The federal government had claimed that until then, that figured hovered across the late 20s.
The medical doctors had rubbished the allegation, mentioning that whereas the state had almost one lakh registered medical doctors, the variety of junior medical doctors was round 4,500 and their absence can’t trigger a breakdown of the healthcare system.
