India
Mamata’s olive branch to doctors fails to break RG Kar impasse – Key Developments | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Meeting between West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and protest young doctors could not go ahead at the last minute due to a deadlock between the live broadcast and the video recording.
The standoff, which seemed almost over on Saturday evening, continues as the protesters initially refused to give in to their demands and were forced to vacate CM Mamata’s house.
However, the protesters claimed that they had agreed to a meeting without video recording, but were told by a government official that “it was too late and no meeting was possible now”.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mamata Banerjee tried to convince the doctors to attend the talks, assuring them that she would release the video of the meeting, filmed by her government, once the Supreme Court gave its approval.
The doctors remained unchanged on their demands for at least three hours, causing the meeting to be called off.
These are the most important developments:
The standoff, which seemed almost over on Saturday evening, continues as the protesters initially refused to give in to their demands and were forced to vacate CM Mamata’s house.
However, the protesters claimed that they had agreed to a meeting without video recording, but were told by a government official that “it was too late and no meeting was possible now”.
At the beginning of the meeting, Mamata Banerjee tried to convince the doctors to attend the talks, assuring them that she would release the video of the meeting, filmed by her government, once the Supreme Court gave its approval.
The doctors remained unchanged on their demands for at least three hours, causing the meeting to be called off.
These are the most important developments:
- A delegation of junior doctors reached Mamata’s house for the meeting. They reached
Kalighat got off the bus at 6:40 pm at theHazra Road and walked in procession to CM’s house. - The doctors held an initial round of meetings with the chief secretary outside the West Bengal residence before entering Mamata’s house for a second round of meetings with her.
- Before the meeting began, the junior doctors were asked to hand over their mobile phones. Two videographers who the doctors had brought along to record the meeting were also not allowed to attend.
- “We were waiting outside the CM’s house. Senior officials spoke to us. We told them that we were demanding live streaming. They said that it was not possible as it was the CM’s house. We then told them that we had come with our videographer. They told us that they would not allow our videographer either. We asked them the exact reason why it would not be allowed. They said that it is a security zone. There is no disbelief, but we have to answer the protesting doctors. But we are still waiting,” said a doctor waiting outside Mamata’s house.
- Later, at 8.25 pm, Mamata addressed the doctors and assured them that the government “will videotape the meeting to end the situation”.
RG Kar impasse, it will provide them “after approval of the Supreme Court”. - Mamata requested the doctors to talk to each other and said that she had made all the arrangements. She also asked the protesters to have faith in her.
- “I request you with folded hands. I have cleared a place for you to sit and have also provided umbrellas. Why are you getting drenched? We will record the entire proceedings but cannot release the video now as the case is pending in the Supreme Court. Have faith in me. I will release the video to you later after taking permission from the Supreme Court,” she told the protesting doctors.
- “You cannot continue insulting me like this,” Mamata told the protesters who wanted to broadcast the livestream.
- However, after mutual consultation, the doctors decided to have a conversation with the CM without a report being made. However, they were asked to leave because “it was too late”.
- One of the protesting doctors who went to the meeting said that they “wanted the meeting to take place and that they had distanced themselves from all our demands”. They alleged that when they went to give their revised decision, the government officials asked them to leave and even threatened that “if they don’t leave, they will force them out”.
- “They said they couldn’t wait for three hours while we’ve been waiting for 35 days. That means this is what they had planned. We had faith in the CM, but this is what we got back. We are disappointed,” said a protesting doctor,” said a protester.
