Kolkata Rape-Murder: What Mamata Banerjee-Doctors’ Minutes Of Meeting Recorded
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday night accepted the bulk of the demands made by agitating junior doctors, including the removal of Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal, the director of medical education (DME) and the director of health services (DHS).
The deputy commissioner of police (north division), who allegedly offered money to the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered inside the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, will also be shunted out.
The protesting doctors, however, have not called off their strike as they wait for the implementation of the promises made by the West Bengal government.
What did the minutes of the meeting record?
On Monday evening, the doctors relented on their demand for live streaming of their meeting with Mamata Banerjee. Both sides agreed on recording the minutes of the meetings.
Per the minutes of the meeting, the two sides agreed to the sanctioning of ₹100 crore for infrastructure development in hospitals for doctors and rebuilding of patient welfare committees.
To tackle safety and security measures in hospitals, a special task force headed by the chief secretary will be established.
The panel will have the home secretary, DGP, CP Kolkata and representatives of junior doctors as members, according to the meeting minutes.
It also documented the setting up of an “effective and responsive grievance redressal mechanism” in medical infrastructure across hospitals and colleges of the state, reported PTI.
What did Mamata Banerjee say after the meeting?
Mamata Banerjee said the government would announce the name of the new police commissioner after 4 pm on Tuesday.
“We have accepted almost all demands of the doctors. Keeping in mind the plight of the common people, we did the best we could. I now appeal to the doctors to return to work,” Banerjee said.
She said no disciplinary action would be taken against the agitating doctors.
What did the doctors say?
Dr Debasish Halder, one of the leaders of the agitating doctors, said they would decide their next step after the hearing of the Supreme Court today.
Dr Aniket Mahato, another doctors’ leader, said CM Mamata Banerjee didn’t agree on removing the principal secretary of the health department.
“While the CM has accepted our demand to remove the CP, DC (North), the DHS and DME, she is yet to agree on removing the principal secretary of the health department. The discussions on the operating threat syndicate in hospitals and the thriving corruption racket remain incomplete. We only have verbal assurances on those matters so far. So our fight is far from over,” he said.