'I need 4 months to...': Mamata Banerjee meets protesting junior doctors, asks for more time to fulfill demands
Banerjee spoke to the doctors by phone and urged them to end their "fasting unto death" protest. She promised to sympathetically consider their demands and also expressed her willingness to meet with the junior doctors at Nabanna on Monday.
- Oct 19, 2024,
- Updated Oct 19, 2024 5:24 PM IST
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday addressed the junior doctors who have been protesting the government's response to the R G Kar rape and murder case. “I have removed the CP, DME, and DHS, but I can’t remove everyone… I need four months to address other demands, including elections. Please end the hunger strike," she said.
Banerjee spoke to the doctors by phone and urged them to end their "fasting unto death" protest. She promised to sympathetically consider their demands and also expressed her willingness to meet with the junior doctors at Nabanna on Monday.
As the indefinite hunger strike organized by seven junior doctors reached the two-week mark on Saturday, state Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty visited the protest site at Esplanade. Pant then called Mamata Banerjee, who spoke to the doctors through his phone. The chief minister noted that she had already removed the police commissioner, the director of medical education, and the director of health services.
“You know why I didn't remove the health secretary… I mentioned that it's not possible to remove everyone in a department,” she added, addressing the doctors' request to dismiss state Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam.
“You should rise above politics and rejoin work. People are now asking for justice. You now do justice to them…You are changing your decisions every day. You should serve people. I leave it to your consideration,” Banerjee said.
The doctors expressed their desire to have direct talks with her, stating that she was misinformed about their movement. On Friday, they gave the state government until Monday to address their demands, warning that they would go on a statewide strike on Tuesday if their needs were not met.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday addressed the junior doctors who have been protesting the government's response to the R G Kar rape and murder case. “I have removed the CP, DME, and DHS, but I can’t remove everyone… I need four months to address other demands, including elections. Please end the hunger strike," she said.
Banerjee spoke to the doctors by phone and urged them to end their "fasting unto death" protest. She promised to sympathetically consider their demands and also expressed her willingness to meet with the junior doctors at Nabanna on Monday.
As the indefinite hunger strike organized by seven junior doctors reached the two-week mark on Saturday, state Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty visited the protest site at Esplanade. Pant then called Mamata Banerjee, who spoke to the doctors through his phone. The chief minister noted that she had already removed the police commissioner, the director of medical education, and the director of health services.
“You know why I didn't remove the health secretary… I mentioned that it's not possible to remove everyone in a department,” she added, addressing the doctors' request to dismiss state Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam.
“You should rise above politics and rejoin work. People are now asking for justice. You now do justice to them…You are changing your decisions every day. You should serve people. I leave it to your consideration,” Banerjee said.
The doctors expressed their desire to have direct talks with her, stating that she was misinformed about their movement. On Friday, they gave the state government until Monday to address their demands, warning that they would go on a statewide strike on Tuesday if their needs were not met.