New Delhi: The standoff between protesting doctors and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee shows no signs of resolution. On Saturday, a delegation of doctors arrived at Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat after being invited by the chief minister. However, the insistence of the doctors on live streaming the meeting has created a deadlock in the talks. Despite appeals from chief minister Mamata Banerjee and chief secretary Manoj Pant, the doctors remain firm in their demand for live streaming as a condition for the meeting.
Mamata visits doctors’ protest site
Since the brutal rape and murder of a female trainee doctor on August 9, junior doctors have been on strike for the past 34 days. An earlier attempt to negotiate between Mamata Banerjee and the doctors at Nabanna had failed. On Saturday afternoon, she personally visited the doctors’ protest site and affirmed that the government is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice. She then proposed a meeting with the doctors.
Following her proposal, a 32-member delegation of junior doctors arrived at her residence in Kalighat around 6pm. However, the talks were still stalled over the issue of live streaming.
Doctors waiting outside CM’s residence in rain
The protesting doctors waited outside Mamata Banerjee’s residence in the rain for the meeting, while the chief minister and her senior officials waited inside.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee made another appeal to the junior doctors, urging them to come inside for talks rather than remain out in the rain. She expressed her willingness to hold the meeting and suggested that if they were unwilling to have the meeting, they could at least come inside for a cup of tea. Despite her repeated appeals, the doctors maintained their stance, insisting that they are willing to meet only if live streaming is permitted.