Protesting Kolkata doctors write to President Murmu, PM Modi as deadlock with Mamata Banerjee continues
PTC Web Desk: Amid a stand-off with the government over their demands, junior doctors in West Bengal have reached out to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking their intervention to resolve the deadlock with the government. This comes after a third consecutive day of failed negotiations and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's offer to resign amid the crisis.
The doctors have been protesting since August 9, following the sexual assault and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. In a four-page letter addressed to President Murmu and copied to Prime Minister Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Health Minister JP Nadda, the protesting doctors highlighted their demands for justice for their deceased colleague and improved safety for healthcare professionals.
The letter expressed concerns over a rise in "institutional threats, violence, and vandalism" since the protests began. It called for urgent intervention, stating, "Your intervention in these trying times will act as a beacon of light, showing us the way out of the darkness that surrounds us."
Earlier in August, President Murmu had condemned the horrific crime, drawing attention to the broader issue of violence against women. She lamented the societal neglect of numerous such cases since the Nirbhaya incident.
The standoff reached a new high on Thursday when the West Bengal government invited the protesting doctors for another round of talks. However, the doctors refused to attend, citing a lack of a live telecast for the meeting as a major concern. Chief Minister Banerjee, who had waited for over two hours, expressed her willingness to resign, criticising external influences on the protest and claiming that press recordings revealed attempts to sabotage the negotiations.
The situation remains tense as both sides continue to seek a resolution to the ongoing strike and its broader implications for public health and safety.
- With inputs from agencies
