Page 5 - Doctors Protests

Kolkata doctors declare 'partial victory' amid strikes, demand more action

At a general body meeting held on Wednesday, the junior doctors decided to request another meeting with the chief minister to discuss unresolved issues

Agitating junior doctors continue sit-in, seek another meeting with CM

Junior doctors agitating over RG Kar murder early Wednesday said they will continue their sit-in and not join duty, despite the state appointing Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Kolkata Police chief, replacing Vineet Goyal, and removing two senior health department officials, giving in to the medics' earlier demands. According to a statement issued following the conclusion of their general body meeting, which had started around 6.30 pm and went on till well past midnight, the protestors called the state's administrative measures "only partial victory" of their movement. The doctors demanded the removal of the state health secretary NS Nigam, saying they were assured by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the Monday of an action on it. The doctors said they will send an email to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant after daybreak seeking an appointment with the CM for another meeting later in the day. They also demanded discussions on safety and security of doctors inside hospital premises and

Agitating doctors continue 'cease work', await state's action on ground

Junior doctors continued their 'cease work' stir in hospitals and sit-in near Swasthya Bhawan on Tuesday morning, asserting they will take a final call on withdrawing their agitation only after the state government implements its announcements made on the previous night "in true spirit". The protesting doctors expressed satisfaction over their "partial success" after a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the fifth attempt on Monday night. "We have already said that we will decide our next step regarding the ongoing agitation and 'cease work' only after seeing concrete actions on the ground and the progress of the Supreme Court proceedings. "Our aim is to get justice, and while we have achieved partial success, the health secretary has not been removed," a protesting doctor said at the protest site near Swasthya Bhawan, the West Bengal health department's headquarters, on Tuesday. Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctor

Mamata Banerjee yields to doctors' demands, removes Kolkata police chief

Despite assurances from the Mamata Banerjee government, the doctors have decided to continue their protests, stating that not all their demands have been met

RG Kar case: Mamata removes Police Commissioner, protesting medics rejoice

Accepting the bulk of the five-point charter of demand placed by the agitating junior doctors, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her decision to transfer a section of Kolkata Police and the state health department top brass, including CP Vineet Goyal, from their respective positions. Banerjee also announced the removal of the Director of Medical Education (DME) and the Director of Health Services (DHS) besides the Deputy Commissioner (North Division) who allegedly offered money to the parents of the RG Kar victim. 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 after concluding her meeting with the agitating junior doctors at her Kalighat residence, barely hours ahead of the scheduled Supreme Court hearing on the RG Kar hospital matter. The decisions were formalised in the minutes of the meeting which was signed by Chief Secretar

Meeting between agitating junior doctors, WB govt begins at Mamata's home

The first round of talks between the West Bengal government and the agitating junior doctors began at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence in Kalighat on Monday evening to address the RG Kar impasse. After four unsuccessful bids to initiate a dialogue to resolve the deadlock, a delegation of agitating junior doctors arrived at Banerjee's residence for the crucial talks. The previous attempts to resolve the issue got stuck due to the state government's rejection of the doctors' demand for live-streaming and video recording of the meeting. The agitating medics later agreed to a compromise, now only asking to record the minutes of the meeting and receive a signed copy. The state government accepted this condition, with Chief Secretary Manoj Pant saying both parties will sign the minutes of the meeting and share copies for clarity. Meanwhile, the doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the 'cease wo

Kolkata rape case: Doctors demand police resignation, transparency in probe

RG Kar Rape-Murder Case: Junior doctors across India are demanding government accountability and an impartial, transparent probe into the rape and murder case of trainee doctor in Kolkata

Mamata invites junior doctors for negotiation meeting 'fifth & final' time

The latest invite by West Bengal's chief secretary follows two previous failed attempts at negotiation between Mamata Banerjee and doctors, held at Nabanna (the state secretariat) and CM's residence

RG Kar ex-principal gave 'deceptive' answers during polygraph: CBI

R G Kar Medical College's former principal Sandip Ghosh was found to be "deceptive" while answering important questions on the rape and murder of a trainee woman postgraduate doctor during his polygraph test and layered voice analysis, officials said. The CBI, probing the case, arrested Ghosh on September 2 in connection with financial irregularities at the hospital. The federal probe agency later added charges of evidence tampering against him. During the investigation, Ghosh was subjected to layered voice analysis and polygraph test. According to a report from Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), New Delhi, his version has been found to be "deceptive on certain important issues" relating to this case, officials in the know of the developments said. Information revealed during the polygraph test may not be used as evidence during the trial but the agency may gather corroborative evidence which could be used in court, they said. A polygraph test can help in assessing ...

RG Kar issue: Agitating junior doctors continue cease work, demand justice

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Monday continued with their cease work, stating that they wouldremain steadfast in their resolve to pursue justice for the medic raped and murdered at the Kar hospital. The doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the Health department, for the eight day and the cease work for the 36th day and vowed to continue it till their demands - the removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior state health officials are met. "We will continue our cease work till our demands are met. The state government is not serious about resolving the crisis," an agitating junior medic said.. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, but the proposed meeting fell through, with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours at the gates of the CM

Bengal's healthcare crisis reveals deeper issues in the political system

It reveals more than dysfunction; it unveils a clash of ideologies

Protest breaks outside CBI office as arrested cop taken for medical exam

Several people demonstrated outside the CBI office here at CGO Complex on Sunday morning when its sleuths were taking Abhijit Mondal, the Tala Police Station officer-in-charge who was arrested in the RG Kar hospital medic's rape-murder case, for a customary medical examination. The agitators gathered outside the CGO Complex, carrying placards and posters, and shouted slogans demanding justice for the woman doctor and criticising the police for its handling of the investigation before the CBI took over the case. Mondal, who was arrested on Saturday evening in connection with the central agency's probe into the RG Kar hospital incident, will be produced before the Sealdah court on Sunday. Sleuths of the CBI were seen jostling with the protesters while departing the CGO Complex with Mondal. Mondal has been arrested for allegedly tampering evidence, delay in registering the FIR among other charges, an official said. The body of the postgraduate woman doctor was recovered in the semina

Junior docs continue sit-in outside health department office amid rain

Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal on Sunday said they remain steadfast in their resolve to pursue justice for the medic raped and murdered at the RG Kar hospital, a day after another attempt to resolve the impasse with the state government fell through. Amid persistent rain, the protesting doctors continued their sit-in outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, for the sixth consecutive day. "We are steadfast in our resolve to seek justice for our sister, no matter the adversity. We have spent nights on the streets in harsh conditions and inclement weather despite some of us not feeling well," an agitating junior medic said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where the doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, but the proposed meeting fell through, with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours a

Medic rape-murder: SHO brought to special Crime Branch after medical test

Meanwhile, junior doctors continue their protest for the fifth consecutive night at Swasthya Bhawan, in the Salt Lake area of West Bengal's Kolkata

Asked to leave unceremoniously, seems govt not serious: Agitating docs

The proposed talks to resolve the impasse between agitating junior doctors and the West Bengal government over the RG Kar issue fell through on Saturday after protestors, who had agreed to join the meeting based on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal despite relenting on their live-streaming demand, were "unceremoniously" asked to leave the venue. An agitating doctor, speaking to reporters before leaving, said they had agreed to attend the meeting without live-streaming or video recording, as requested by Banerjee. "When we came here, we had demanded video recording or live-streaming of the talks. We were not allowed. Then the chief minister came out and appealed to us to join the talks, promising that we would receive the minutes of the meeting. We discussed among ourselves and agreed to join the meeting without live-streaming or video recording," the doctor said. "When we conveyed this to Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya, we were told to leave the venue ...

News updates: CBI arrests former RG Kar principal,a Kolkata police SHO in connection with the case

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CBI adds rape-murder charge against RG Kar ex-principal, arrests policeman

The CBI on Saturday added rape and murder charge against former RG Kar hospital principal Sandip Ghosh, an agency official said. An on-duty doctor was raped and murdered in state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. Ghosh is currently in judicial custody in a corruption case. A policeman was also arrested in the rape and murder case, the official said.

RG Kar victim's mother asks CM to be forthright in comments on action taken

The mother of the rape-murder victim of RG Medical College and Hospital on Saturday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should be forthright in her comments about action against culprits. Speaking to reporters at her residence on the northern fringes of Kolkata, the victim's mother, however, expressed hope that the discussions between the CM and the agitating doctors would yield results. "Instead of merely saying that whoever is found guilty would be punished, she should have been more categorical and direct. Considering the destruction of evidence at the crime scene, and the arrest of only one person, we were expecting the CM to be more forthright," she said. However, she said that any initiative to resolve the deadlock caused by the doctor's 'cease work' at hospitals over the last one month following the incident, was welcome but she also demanded the arrest of all the perpetrators and officials behind the attempted "cover up". "I wish the state government does n

RG Kar impasse: Agitating medics to attend meeting at CM Mamata's residence

The agitating doctors on Saturday evening confirmed they will attend a meeting at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse. Responding to the mail by West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, the agitating doctors said they would attend the meeting and place their demands before the chief minister. We would attend the meeting with our representatives. We will place our five demands. We are going to the discussions with an open mind, but no one should be under the illusion that we will compromise on our demands, an agitating doctor said. The West Bengal government invited agitating junior doctors to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at 6 pm on Saturday. In an email, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant emphasised that 15 representatives of the junior doctors were invited to the meeting. The development took place hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan'

RG Kar protest: Medics send mail to govt, wish to hold talks with CM

Agitating junior doctors on Saturday sent a mail to the West Bengal government expressing their wish to hold talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar impasse. The mail was sent hours after the chief minister paid a surprise visit to them at their site of the demonstration outside 'Swasthya Bhavan', the health department headquarters. "We are willing to hold a meeting with the chief minister anywhere and anytime to resolve the impasse. We welcome her visit to us this afternoon. This is a very positive move. We have sent a mail to the state government," one of the agitating doctors said. He, however, did not clarify whether they are still sticking to their earlier demand for "live streaming " the entire meeting. But, he said, "We want transparency.