Mamata Banerjee waits for protesting junior doctors to come for talks
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her government will pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 29 people who died, allegedly after not getting treatment due to the doctors' strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor.
Junior doctors have been on a 'cease work' protest since August 9. A civil volunteer has been arrested for the alleged rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The case sparked outrage across the nation and led to protests across Bengal and other cities.
"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," Ms Banerjee said in a post on X.
"In order to extend a helping hand to the bereaved families, the state government announces a token financial relief of Rs 2 lakh to family members of each deceased person," she added.
Ms Banerjee yesterday said she was "ready to resign" for the "sake of people" after protesting junior doctors refused to meet her, unless the interaction was streamed live.
"I tried my best to sit with the junior doctors. I waited three days for them... Even when they didn't accept the verdict of the Supreme Court, I waited for three days with my highest officials... We want justice for the victim... As per Supreme Court instruction, they (doctors) must join duty," Ms Banerjee said.
The protesters have written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their intervention in the impasse. Copies of a four-page letter written by the West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front were also sent to Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar and Union Health Minister JP Nadda.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose announced he will socially boycott the Chief Minister on public platforms. His message came after the proposed meeting between the Chief Minister and the junior doctors did not work out.
A Kolkata court today declined the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) request to conduct a narco-analysis test of Sanjoy Roy, the key accused in the rape and murder case. He was seen on CCTV near the seminar hall where the body was found. The accused's consent is mandatory to conduct the narco test.