RG Kar Protest: Mamata Says No To Live Streaming Of Meeting; Doctors Asked To Leave When They Agreed To Talk

For the second time, the meeting between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the doctors protesting over the recent rape-murder case at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital failed as the CM refused to allow the live streaming of the meeting. However, in an unexpected turn of events, it has also been reported that when the agitating doctors agreed for talks with just signed minutes of the meeting, they were asked to leave.

Responding to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant's invitation for a meeting to resolve the impasse, a delegation of 40 agitating doctors today reached CM Banerjee's residence today.

'Case is before SC': Mamata says no to live-streaming

As the doctors once again demanded live streaming of the meeting to maintain transparency, the chief minister tried convincing the them to attend the meeting without live streaming citing the interference of Supreme Court in the matter. "There is a case going on in the Supreme Court, so we cannot do live streaming. I assure you that whatever recording will be done, it will be given to you. Accept my request and join the meeting. We will prepare the minutes of the meeting and give it to you", the chief minister told the protesting doctors.

"All of us - chief secretary, DGP and home secretary - are waiting for you all. We have given you umbrellas so that you don't get wet (in the rainfall). We have also made arrangements for you to sit inside. Please come inside and just have a tea", Banerjee added.

Further elaborating the exchange of words between the delegates and the government representatives including the CM, an agitating doctor said, "We wanted a live streaming of the meeting but were informed that it's not possible. We, therefore, wanted our videographer to record the proceedings of the meeting, but even that demand was not met with. There was no agreement even on sharing of minute-to-minute of the meeting. We held a discussion among ourselves over this. Later, the honourable CM urged us to come inside (her residence) for the meeting, following which we changed our minds. We were ready for the meeting, but unfortunately it couldn't happen."

'Came to meet you as didi': Mamata visits protest site

Mamata visits It has been reported that following the CM's surprise visit to the main protest site outside the Swasthya Bhawan, the agitating junior doctors expressed their wish to hold a meeting with her over an e-mail before they received the official invitation from the government for the meeting.

The chief minister's surprise visit came two days after the failed attempt to meet the doctors at the state secretariat, Nabanna to resolve the impasse over the RG Kar rape-murder case.

Addressing the protesting doctors at the protest site, the chief minister today said, "I came to meet you as your 'didi' not as chief minister.My post is not big. People's posts are big. I haven't slept last night as you all have protested in this heavy rain. I am here to tell you that please don't do this. I am promising you that we will fulfil your demands. I want justice for the trainee doctor."

Furthermore, Banerjee also dissolved the patient welfare committees of all state-run hospitals with immediate effect. "This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis," Banerjee added.

Commenting on the CM's surprise visit, Arif Akhtar, one of the agitating doctors in Kolkata said, "CM (Mamata Banerjee) herself came to the protest site and we are very happy about this. We are also very happy to know the way for communication and dialogue is open from both sides. We have sent a mail to the CM's office to express our happiness and faith that she will agree to our five demands. We are also ready to have a discussion with her whenever she calls us."

Two days ago, the stand off between the agitating junior doctors and the Bengal government further intensified as they reached the State Secretariat 'Nabanna' with a delegation of 32 members but refused to enter the building and meet the CM Banerjee upon denial of their demands concerning the delagation size and live telecasting.The meeting was scheduled a day after rejecting the demands of the protesting junior doctors.

The West Bengal government on Thursday issued a fresh invite for talks to end the month-long stand-off. As per the official letter written by Bengal's Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the government accepted the doctors' demand for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's presence at the meeting. However, several demands were rejected including the prerequisite of a live telecast of the talks. The letter also restricted the delegation's strength to not more than 15 people. Pant also mentioned that the meeting can be recorded to "maintain transparency".

"We have been waiting for over two hours to meet our doctor brothers and sister who were invited here. We wrote them a letter and they wrote us back assuring that they will come... Only after receiving their confirmation, we invited them but it's been two hours and there is no communication from them yet. We asked them to come with an open mind and talk about any issue. Solutions can only be found through dialogues", said West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee while addressing a press conference in Kolkata.

"I am still saying that I will not take any action against them for not coming and making us wait for two hours. I will forgive them because being elders, it is our responsibility to forgive our younger ones", she said.