After an unprecedented outrage for well over a month over the brutal rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical and Hospital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday finally sat with the agitating students who came with five demands. During the meeting, Mamata announced that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal would be removed from his post, which indeed was one of the most important demands put forward by the junior medics.
Besides Goyal, the chief minister also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS) besides the Deputy Commissioner (North Division) against whom the victim’s family has levelled bribery allegations.
On Monday, the decisions were formalised in the minutes of the meeting which was signed by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and countersigned by the delegation of 42 doctors who participated in the talks to end the RG Kar hospital impasse.
Kolkata doctors meeting: What all did Mamata say?
Addressing the reporters following the meeting with the doctors, the CM said, "In view of the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said in the meeting that he is ready to resign. At 4 pm, Vineet will hand over the responsibility to the new CP".
“We will announce the name of the new police commissioner after 4 pm on Tuesday after the scheduled hearing in Supreme Court gets over,” the chief minister said at the stroke of midnight.
“We have accepted almost all demands of the doctors. Keeping in mind the plight of the common people, we did the best we could. I now appeal to the doctors to return to work,” Banerjee said, confirming no disciplinary action would be taken against the agitating doctors.
Victory of the masses but protest far from over, said doctors
Deeming the decisions as “the state bowing its head before the pressure of a movement" and a “victory of the masses”, the doctors, however, said they would continue their protests till “the words get converted into concrete action”. Furthermore, according to the doctors, the decision on removal of the Health Secretary is still pending.
“We will decide on what our next step would be after the hearing at the Apex court and after we confirm the government issuing those transfer orders it has promised,” announced Dr Debasish Halder, one of the leaders.
“While the CM has accepted our demand to remove the CP, DC (North), the DHS and DME, she is yet to agree on removing the principal secretary of the health department or the DC (Central). The discussions on the operating threat syndicate in hospitals and the thriving corruption racket remain incomplete. We only have verbal assurances on those matters so far. So our fight is far from over,” added Dr Aniket Mahato, another leader.
Kolkata doctors meeting: Other key points
Besides agreeing on the removal of the top government officials from their respective positions, the meeting also has discussions on the sanction of Rs 100 crore for infrastructure development in hospitals for doctors and rebuilding of patient welfare committees as more inclusive with stakeholders.
To tackle safety-security measures in hospitals, a special task force has been set up that will be headed by the chief secretary. The task force will also include the home secretary, DGP, CP Kolkata and representatives of junior doctors as members.
The minutes of the meeting also documented the setting up of an “effective and responsive grievance redressal mechanism” in medical infrastructure across hospitals and colleges of the state.
