Kolkata/New Delhi, Accepting most of the five-point demand letter raised by agitating junior doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her decision to transfer a section of Kolkata Police and top brass from the state health department, including CP Vineet. Goyal, from their respective positions.
Banerjee also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and Director of Health Services (DHS), besides the Deputy Commissioner (Northern Division) who allegedly offered money to the parents of RG Kar's victim.
"We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, when the scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court ends," the prime minister said at the stroke of midnight after concluding her meeting with the agitated young doctors in his Kalighat residence. just a few hours before the scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court on the RG Kar hospital matter. The decisions were reflected in the minutes of the meeting, signed by chief secretary Manoj Pant and countersigned by the delegation of 42 doctors who participated in the talks to end RG Kar hospital stalemate.
The agitated doctors are on “cessation of work” across the state for 38 days since the gruesome alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate intern at RG Kar Hospital came to light on August 9, paralyzing healthcare delivery. state.
“We have accepted almost all the doctors' demands. Keeping in mind the plight of common people, we did our best. "I now appeal to the doctors to return to work," Banerjee said, confirming that no disciplinary action would be taken against the agitating doctors. Considering the decisions as "the State bowing its head under the pressure of a movement and a "victory of the masses," the doctors, however, said they would continue their protests until "words become concrete actions."
"We will decide what our next step will be after the Apex court hearing and after we confirm that the government has issued the transfer orders that it has promised," Dr. Debasish Halder, one of the leaders, announced from the sit-in. before Swasthya. Bhawan, which continues for a week amid inclement weather.
“While the CM has accepted our demand to remove the CP, DC (North), DHS and DME, she is yet to reach an agreement to remove the principal secretary of the health department or the DC (Central). Discussions on the threat syndicate operating in hospitals and the growing business of corruption remain incomplete. So far we only have verbal guarantees on these issues. So our fight is far from over,” added Dr Aniket Mahato, another leader. The signed minutes of the meeting documented a sanction of Rs 100 million for infrastructure development in hospitals for doctors and reconstruction of welfare committees. of patients as more inclusive of stakeholders.
To address safety measures in hospitals, a special task force headed by the chief secretary and whose members are home secretary, DGP, CP Kolkata and representatives of junior doctors has been set up, according to the minutes.
It also documented the establishment of an “effective and responsive grievance redressal mechanism” in the medical infrastructure of all hospitals and universities in the state. “These measures are ineffective until a democratic work atmosphere returns to the hospitals and at the same time Eliminate threats and links of corruption,” said an agitated doctor.
Early morning celebrations were witnessed at the agitation site of Swasthya Bhawan with protesters playing drums and blowing conch shells.
Early on Monday, around 6.50 pm, talks began between the state government and the agitated young doctors, after four previous failed attempts to initiate dialogue to resolve the impasse. The meeting lasted about two hours. Another three hours were needed to complete the process of writing the minutes of the meeting in the presence of the state chief secretary.
Previous attempts to resolve the issue failed due to the state government's rejection of the doctors' demand to live-stream and video-record the meeting.
The agitated doctors later reached a compromise and now only asked to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. The state government also allowed the two stenographers, who accompanied the agitated doctors, to enter the venue to take the minutes of the meeting. the meeting.
Meanwhile, the doctors continued their sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health Department, for eight days and 'stop work' for the 38th day seeking justice for RG Kar victim and demanding removal of senior officials police and health.
The talks came to fruition after the state government "for the fifth and final time" invited protesting doctors for talks to end the deadlock, two days after the dialogue failed to take off due to disagreements over the live broadcast of the meeting.On Saturday, Banerjee made a surprise visit to the protest site and assured the doctors that their demands would be met.
However, the proposed meeting collapsed when protesters claimed they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours outside the CM's residence.
In the capital, senior doctors of RG Kar Medical College alleged tampering with evidence in the rape and murder case of a doctor in Kolkata. In a statement, the doctors demanded that the concerned authorities, the CBI and the Supreme Court expedite the process of investigate and punish the guilty without delay.
Banerjee also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and Director of Health Services (DHS), besides the Deputy Commissioner (Northern Division) who allegedly offered money to the parents of RG Kar's victim.
"We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, when the scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court ends," the prime minister said at the stroke of midnight after concluding her meeting with the agitated young doctors in his Kalighat residence. just a few hours before the scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court on the RG Kar hospital matter. The decisions were reflected in the minutes of the meeting, signed by chief secretary Manoj Pant and countersigned by the delegation of 42 doctors who participated in the talks to end RG Kar hospital stalemate.
The agitated doctors are on “cessation of work” across the state for 38 days since the gruesome alleged rape and murder of the postgraduate intern at RG Kar Hospital came to light on August 9, paralyzing healthcare delivery. state.
“We have accepted almost all the doctors' demands. Keeping in mind the plight of common people, we did our best. "I now appeal to the doctors to return to work," Banerjee said, confirming that no disciplinary action would be taken against the agitating doctors. Considering the decisions as "the State bowing its head under the pressure of a movement and a "victory of the masses," the doctors, however, said they would continue their protests until "words become concrete actions."
"We will decide what our next step will be after the Apex court hearing and after we confirm that the government has issued the transfer orders that it has promised," Dr. Debasish Halder, one of the leaders, announced from the sit-in. before Swasthya. Bhawan, which continues for a week amid inclement weather.
“While the CM has accepted our demand to remove the CP, DC (North), DHS and DME, she is yet to reach an agreement to remove the principal secretary of the health department or the DC (Central). Discussions on the threat syndicate operating in hospitals and the growing business of corruption remain incomplete. So far we only have verbal guarantees on these issues. So our fight is far from over,” added Dr Aniket Mahato, another leader. The signed minutes of the meeting documented a sanction of Rs 100 million for infrastructure development in hospitals for doctors and reconstruction of welfare committees. of patients as more inclusive of stakeholders.
To address safety measures in hospitals, a special task force headed by the chief secretary and whose members are home secretary, DGP, CP Kolkata and representatives of junior doctors has been set up, according to the minutes.
It also documented the establishment of an “effective and responsive grievance redressal mechanism” in the medical infrastructure of all hospitals and universities in the state. “These measures are ineffective until a democratic work atmosphere returns to the hospitals and at the same time Eliminate threats and links of corruption,” said an agitated doctor.
Early morning celebrations were witnessed at the agitation site of Swasthya Bhawan with protesters playing drums and blowing conch shells.
Early on Monday, around 6.50 pm, talks began between the state government and the agitated young doctors, after four previous failed attempts to initiate dialogue to resolve the impasse. The meeting lasted about two hours. Another three hours were needed to complete the process of writing the minutes of the meeting in the presence of the state chief secretary.
Previous attempts to resolve the issue failed due to the state government's rejection of the doctors' demand to live-stream and video-record the meeting.
The agitated doctors later reached a compromise and now only asked to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. The state government also allowed the two stenographers, who accompanied the agitated doctors, to enter the venue to take the minutes of the meeting. the meeting.
Meanwhile, the doctors continued their sit-in in front of Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health Department, for eight days and 'stop work' for the 38th day seeking justice for RG Kar victim and demanding removal of senior officials police and health.
The talks came to fruition after the state government "for the fifth and final time" invited protesting doctors for talks to end the deadlock, two days after the dialogue failed to take off due to disagreements over the live broadcast of the meeting.On Saturday, Banerjee made a surprise visit to the protest site and assured the doctors that their demands would be met.
However, the proposed meeting collapsed when protesters claimed they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours outside the CM's residence.
In the capital, senior doctors of RG Kar Medical College alleged tampering with evidence in the rape and murder case of a doctor in Kolkata. In a statement, the doctors demanded that the concerned authorities, the CBI and the Supreme Court expedite the process of investigate and punish the guilty without delay.