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Kolkata, September 17 (HS). The Mamata Banerjee government finally had to bow down to the agitation of junior doctors who have been on strike for the last 38 days against the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital scandal. Many important decisions were taken in the five-hour meeting between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and junior doctors on Monday night. The Chief Minister accepted most of the demands of the agitating doctors. The doctors have made it clear that until these assurances are implemented, they will not return to their workplace.
The meeting began at 7 pm on Monday and continued till 12 midnight. After the meeting, the delegation of junior doctors returned to the protest site in Salt Lake. The doctors said that the meeting was positive and the government has taken steps towards resolving many of their major issues. Mamata Banerjee told reporters that she has accepted 99 percent of the doctors' demands. She said, “We have accepted almost all their demands, what more can we do now?”
The Chief Minister said that out of the five demands of the junior doctors, the first demand falls under the jurisdiction of the CBI and the court. Of the remaining four demands, the government has agreed to three. Mamata Banerjee announced that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal will be removed from his post on Tuesday. Along with this, Health Director Kaustubh Nayak and Health Education Director Debashish Haldar are also being removed from their posts.
The junior doctors' representative said at the protest site, “The state government has accepted the victory of our movement by bowing to our demands. This victory is not only of the doctors, but it is the victory of the general public, nurses and the entire health community. We will not end our movement until the assurances given are implemented.”
The chief minister appealed to the doctors to return to work, especially when the state is facing health disasters like floods, dengue and malaria. “We have taken into account all the concerns of the doctors and assured them of ensuring their safety. Now we hope that they will return to their duties soon,” he said. However, the doctors said they will first consult their colleagues and then take a final decision. One of the main demands of the doctors is that corruption and 'threat culture' in the health sector should be rooted out, for which the possibility of dialogue with the government in the future remains open.
Also, this matter is pending in the Supreme Court and the doctors will take any decision after the court hearing. The hearing is to be held in the Supreme Court today on Tuesday.