KOLKATA: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee made a surprise phone call to fasting junior doctors on Saturday afternoon and set up a meeting with them for Monday in yet another stab at restoring normalcy in the state health sector.
The nearly one hour interaction – on state chief secretary Manoj Pant’s cell phone – included direct conversations with doctors on an indefinite hunger strike that started Oct 5.
“The case is going on in court. Justice will be served. I will do my best. But, if govt hospitals do not provide service, where will people go? The public, too, wants justice. I assure you, as your sister, that your legitimate demands will be met. Your studies are being hampered and people, too, are suffering because of your absence. So I request you to withdraw the hunger strike and join work. ,” Banerjee said, adding: “I am concerned about your health. I wish you well and will assist as much as possible.”
Junior doctors said they would meet Banerjee at 5 pm on Monday at Nabanna but insisted on going on with their fast and other forms of agitation. “We will go to Nabanna but our hunger strike will continue. We will mail the administration our charter of demands again and wait for a reply,” R G Kar Hospital junior doctor Ashfaqullah Naiya told TOI.
Banerjee also sought three to four months to address their demands, including the one for medical college union elections.