"Call Off Hunger Strike": Mamata Banerjee Speaks To Doctors After Ultimatum

Taking steps to resolve the impasse with protesting doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke to them over the phone on Saturday and urged them to withdraw their fast-unto-death, saying most of their demands had been met and action is also being taken on the remaining ones - barring one.  

The Trinamool Congress chief also said she would meet the protesting doctors on Monday, but ruled out the removal of health secretary NS Nigam. 

The protesting junior doctors, some of whom have been on a fast-unto-death in Kolkata's Esplanade area since October 5, had issued an ultimatum to the West Bengal government threatening a strike across all government and private hospitals on Tuesday if their demands were not fulfilled by Monday.

Apart from strengthening security outside hospitals, setting up CCTV cameras and ensuring their safety, the demands of the doctors include elections to councils in hospitals and medical colleges, and the removal of Mr Nigam. The protests had started after a trainee doctor was raped and murdered at Kolkata's state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. 

Saturday's outreach began with West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty visiting the site where the junior doctors are fasting. Ms Banerjee then spoke to the doctors over the phone and said they have a right to protest but it shouldn't affect healthcare services. 

"Most of your demands have been fulfilled, give me three to four months more to meet the rest of the demands. Regarding your demand for elections, we have to set up a process. Right now, there are several festivals, so we will have to do it after that," she said. 

"I appeal to you to withdraw your hunger strike and rejoin work. And then we can sit and discuss. You have to understand what we can do and what we cannot... Poor people are going to private hospitals because they have Swasthya Sathi (government health insurance) and the private hospitals have reported a 40% rise in earnings.," she added.

The chief minister also said she would meet the doctors on Monday.

"We want the chief minister to sit for a discussion and implement all our demands", a junior doctor had said on Saturday, before Ms Banerjee's phone call.

The agitating doctors have also planned a mega rally on Sunday to press for their demands.