Junior doctors, who have been protesting for over a month seeking justice for the 31-year-old woman who was raped and murdered at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, have agreed to hold talks with the West Bengal government.

The State Secretary on Wednesday wrote a fresh email to the protestors inviting a delegation of 12-15 doctors for talks. “Once again, as another opportunity, we invite your delegation preferably consisting of 12-15 colleagues to join us for a discussion at 6 pm today, ie 11.09.2024, at Nabanna. A list of the members of your delegation may please be intimated by email,” the correspondence read.

While doctors have accepted the invitation, they have set a couple of conditions including the live telecast of the meeting and demanded that representatives of all government-run medical colleges should be allowed to attend the meeting.

The development comes a day after Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam invited the protestors to Nabanna (State Secretariat) for discussions with government representatives on Tuesday (September 10). The invitation was sent to the West Bengal Junior Doctor’s Front, the group at the forefront of the protests, via email.

The invitation, however, was not well-received by the protestors who said the email was “insulting.” In the correspondence, the health secretary said only 10 representatives of the protesting students would be allowed to come to Nabanna, a condition that was termed “humiliating” by the doctors.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the junior doctors said that while they are ready for talks, the call for the same should come from the administration and not from the health secretary.

Another overnight protest

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ordered the junior doctors to resume work by September 10. This was, however, ignored by the protesting doctors who refused to cease their campaign.

Passing the deadline, the protestors marched towards the Health Secretariat and spent the night in front of the building.

The email was sent to the doctors on Tuesday evening, following which West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the portfolio of the health department, waited for the protestors to hold talks but left after they did not show up.

What are doctors demanding?

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RG Kar rape-murder case: Protesting junior doctors in Kolkata agree to hold talks with Mamata govt