For a meeting with the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, Dr Manoj Pant, a delegation of junior doctors arrived at the secretariat in Nabanna today, Wednesday, September 18. Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, the delegation of around 30 medics reached the secretariat around 7.15 pm, PTI reported.
"We want the issue of safety and security in hospitals to be addressed. The chief minister had announced the formation of a task force, but there is no proper clarity on it. We want the state government to accept our legitimate demands," an agitating doctor said before leaving for the meeting venue.
Earlier today, the West Bengal government invited the junior doctors agitating over the RG Kar rape-murder incident for a meeting at the state secretariat at 6.30 pm, responding to their request for a fresh round of talks. The scheduled meeting would be the second round of talks between the medics and the state government in 48 hours, the first of which was held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, September 16.
Despite the fulfilment of their demands, the doctors are still on strike. According to a statement issued following the conclusion of their general body meeting, which had started around 6.30 pm on Tuesday, September 17, and went on till well past midnight, the protestors called the state's administrative measures "only partial victory" of their movement.
Further, the doctors demanded the removal of state Health Secretary NS Nigam, saying they were assured by Banerjee of action on it during the talks on Monday, PTI reported.
