Kolkata: The protesting junior doctors in West Bengal while distancing themselves from all political parties have sought intervention of President Droupadi Murmu indicating that no immediate resolution was in the offing in deadlocked talks with the state government. The doctors’ letter to Murmu Copies of the letter were also sent to vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Prime Minister’s Office and Union health minister JP Nadda was issued on Thursday morning but was made public on Friday. Meanwhile the state government said 29 people had died due to disruption in health care services and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh for their families. Mamata Banerjee wrote on X “It is sad and unfortunate that we have lost 29 precious lives due to disruption in health services because of long drawn cease work by junior doctors. In order to extend a helping hand to the bereaved families, State government announces a token financial relief of ₹2 lakh to family members of each deceased person.”
The junior doctors in their letter to Murmu said “Your intervention in these trying times will act as a beacon of light to us all, showing us the way ahead out of the darkness that surrounds us.” The letter further said “The head of the institute in question along with the state police and certain state government officials had allegedly mishandled the entire forensic and legal proceedings, with little regard for either the sanctity of the crime scene that was mobbed by several persons, or for the victim’s parents, coercing them into submission to fit a narrative that suited their interests.” The letter also alleged that police remained mute spectators on August 15 when a mob ransacked the hospital even as doctors ran to find shelter.
It is noteworthy that the talks with chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat failed as the government didn’t agree to their demand of live-streaming the negotiations. In turn the delegation of junior doctors sat outside the auditorium for two hours and blamed the RG Kar Hospital authorities and state government officials.
Meanwhile, the doctors clarified that they were not affiliated with any political party and said their letter was not issued in response to the stand-off with Banerjee on Thursday. They also named Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The doctors said ”We are opposing those who are trying to use our protest for political gains. That’s why leaders such as Abhijit Gangopadhyay and Agnimitra Paul had to face go back slogans. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari is trying to malign the protest. According to him the go back slogans were raised by some notorious outsiders. We want to say again that if anyone tries to use our protest for political gain we would give the same reaction again.” They further added “This is a people’s protest. No one is an outsider here. Our fight is apolitical. We don’t want to comment on the statements made by a political leader. Whatever we have to say we have taken it up with the government through official means.”
