Amid the continuing impasse, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the junior doctors were protesting, and assured them that she would look into their demands and take action if anyone was found guilty.
Addressing the protesting doctors amid chants of "we want justice" outside the Swasthya Bhawan in Salt Lake, Banerjee said she had been spending sleepless nights because the medics were agitating on the road amid rains and described her visit as the "last attempt" to resolve the crisis.
Banerjee assured the protesting doctors that she would not take any action against them as she did not believe in suppressing a democratic movement as "Bengal is not Uttar Pradesh".
However, after she left the site, the agitating doctors said they were not ready to compromise on their demands till discussions were held, indicating no immediate breakthrough in the impasse.
Accompanied by DGP Rajiv Kumar, Banerjee reached the site in Sector 5 around 1 pm, taking those present there by surprise.
"I came to meet you as your 'didi' (elder sister) not as the chief minister," she said.
"I assure you that I will study your demands and take action if someone is found guilty," she added.
Urging the protesting doctors to return to work, Banerjee said would never allow any injustice to them.
"This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis," she said.
"If you wish to return to work, I promise you to consider your demands sympathetically. I do not run the government alone. I will discuss your demands with the chief secretary, home secretary, and the DGP," she said.
Banerjee urged the CBI to complete the investigation into the rape and murder of the doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital soon.
"Let the guilty be punished. I will definitely take action if anyone is found guilty. This is all I have to say," she said.
Banerjee said that when the junior doctors were on the road, she too was staying awake to ensure that they were safe.
"It rained all night on Friday. The way you are sitting here, I am suffering. I have also not slept night after night for the last 34 days. Because if you are on the road, I also have to stay awake as a guard," she said.
The chief minister said that in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was used to dismantle similar protests.
"I will not take any action against you. This is not UP. They had implemented ESMA and stopped all sorts of strikes and rallies. But be rest assured, I will not do anything of that sort. I am against taking any action against doctors. I know that you do noble work. The seniors (doctors) need you. Think about my proposal. If I can come to this protest site to stand by you, I can also ensure justice and listen to your demands," she said.
"I respect democratic movements. I am also a product of student movements and have been on hunger strike for 26 days during the Singur anti-land acquisition movement," she said.
Banerjee also announced that patient welfare committees of all state-run hospitals would be dissolved with immediate effect.
"The patient welfare committees of all hospitals will be dissolved and new ones will be created. RG Kar's patient welfare committee is also being dissolved. The new committees will be headed by the principals. There will be representatives of junior doctors, senior doctors, nurses, and police. I have made this decision," she said.
After the CM left the site, the agitating doctors said they were not ready to compromise on their demands until discussions were held.
"We welcome the gesture by the chief minister. We are ready to sit for talks. We too want to resolve this situation. But we will not compromise on our demands until discussions are held," an agitating doctor said.
At present, the protesters are holding a meeting among themselves to discuss the situation and chart the future course of action.
The medics have been camping outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the state Health Department, since Tuesday with a host of demands, including better security at state-run hospitals and the removal of top officials over the rape and murder of the doctor.
To end the impasse, the government had invited the doctors for a meeting with Banerjee on Thursday. Even as the doctors reached the state secretariat, the meeting did not happen with the government refusing the demand of the protesters to livestream it.
Banerjee had then said she was "ready to relinquish her chair for the sake of the people".
The junior doctors have been protesting for over a month, affecting the public healthcare infrastructure of the state. The government claimed that 29 people have died due to the protests allegedly after not receiving treatment.
