Mamata Banerjee says ‘ready to resign’ as junior doctors protest stalemate continues

Efforts to resolve the deadlock between agitating junior doctors and the West Bengal government stalled on Thursday after the doctors refused to engage in talks with chief minister Mamata Banerjee unless their demand for a live-streamed meeting was met.

The doctors, who have been protesting against the alleged rape and murder of a female colleague at RG Kar Medical College, reached the venue around 5:25 pm, remaining outside the gates for over an hour in a tense standoff with government officials.

Mamata Banerjee, who had agreed to meet the doctors as part of ongoing efforts to end their strike, waited inside the venue for over an hour. Despite assurances from the state government that the session would be recorded for transparency, the doctors insisted on a live telecast of the proceedings.

The state's chief secretary Manoj Pant had earlier conveyed that live streaming was not feasible, but promised to provide a full video recording of the meeting.

"The chief minister has been waiting for over an hour and a half. We have tried to explain to the doctors that their demand for a live stream cannot be met, but we are ready to document the entire session. There should be a limit to such demands," Pant told reporters, urging the doctors to reconsider their stance.

The meeting was supposed to address the doctors' grievances over the handling of the case involving the death of their colleague. The body of the 31-year-old trainee doctor was found with severe injuries on August 9, sparking outrage among the medical community and leading to a state-wide protest that has severely disrupted healthcare services at government hospitals.

What Mamata Banerjee said on stalemate

CM Mamata Banerjee, visibly frustrated but conciliatory, expressed her willingness to forgive the protesting doctors despite the impasse.

"I tried thrice to hold talks with the junior doctors to end the RG Kar stalemate. 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," Banerjee said.

Banerjee also offered an apology to the people of Bengal for the continued crisis. "I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today…I am ready to resign from my post for the sake of people. I don't want the chair, I want justice (for the deceased) and treatment for the people (patients)," the chief minister added.