On Saturday, there was a major development in the ongoing protest by junior doctors in West Bengal. Dr Manoj Pant, representing the Chief Minister’s Office, responded to the doctors’ email by inviting them for a meeting with Mamata Banerjee at 6 pm.

In an email sent earlier this afternoon, Dr Pant invited a delegation of 15 junior doctors for a discussion at the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s residence in Kalighat. The meeting is scheduled for Saturday at 6 pm. The invitation comes in response to the email sent earlier in the day in which he expressed gratitude for the Chief Minister’s efforts to meet the protesters amidst the difficult weather conditions.

The young doctors have been advocating for five key demands, which they claim are essential to improving their working conditions and ensuring better healthcare in the state. Their protest has gained widespread attention and support, highlighting issues related to medical infrastructure, safety and fair treatment.

An email from the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front stressed their willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue and emphasised the importance of transparency and adequate representation in the forthcoming discussions.

Earlier in the day, Mamata Banerjee made a surprise visit to Swasthya Bhawan to address the ongoing protests by junior doctors demanding justice for the victim of a recent rape-murder case in Kolkata. The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for increased security, leading to medical professionals staging a protest that has disrupted healthcare services.

During her visit, Mamata made a heartfelt appeal to the protesting junior doctors and urged them to resume their duties, stressing their crucial role in patient care.

She spoke with empathy, acknowledged their frustrations and promised that no punitive action would be taken against them. The CM promised to assess their demands and expedite the investigation into the tragic rape and murder of a junior doctor at the hospital.

Despite heavy rains in Kolkata, junior doctors from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital held their fifth day of protests on September 14. They are calling for justice for their colleague, a junior doctor who was tragically raped and murdered at the hospital. The sit-in demonstration is being held outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the state health department.

Besides demanding justice for the victim, the young doctors are also demanding increased security in state hospitals and the resignation of top officials in connection with the RG Kar Hospital incident.