RG Kar deadlock: Junior doctors to meet Mamata Banerjee at her residence, protesters demand 'transparency'

West Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant sent an email to the junior doctors asking them to send a 15-member delegation to the Chief Minister's Kalighat residence at 6 pm. 

However, the junior doctors are sending a 30-member delegation to Mamata's residence. A bus has been arranged for the protesters who are camped outside state Health and Family Welfare office Swasthya Bhavan in Salt Lake.

"We had expected the meeting to take place at an administrative building but we have been asked to visit the Chief Minister's residence. Despite having reservations, we will participate in the meeting with our five-point demands. They should also arrange for transparency of the meeting so that people have full knowledge," said a protester before leaving for Kalighat.

"We want to make it clear that we can't be cowed down in the meeting," he added.

Dr. Aniket Mahato, one of the protesters and spokespersons, had said earlier, "The Chief Minister's step is positive, we welcome that. We too want to sit with her for an open-minded discussion anywhere and at any particular time. We want our five-point demands to be discussed in the meeting."

In a dramatic crisis-management move, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the protest site of junior doctors and assured to act against anyone found guilty.

Mamata made the visit a day after the meeting between her and junior doctors failed to take place over the protesters' demand for the live-streaming of the discussion.

Speaking to the agitators, the Chief Minister said, "I salute your protest. I have come up from the students' movement too. It rained heavily last night. I couldn't even sleep thinking of the pain you had suffered."

"If I can come to the dharna site, then please keep faith in me. I don't run the government alone. I don't keep track of everything. I will investigate and if anyone is found guilty, I will take appropriate action," she added.

The Chief Minister, who was greeted with 'We Want Justice' slogans, assured no action will be taken against the junior doctors who are on ceasework.

"This is my last appeal to you all," Mamata, who announced that all hospital committees will be dissolved, said.

"I want justice for Tilottama. I will urge the CBI to expedite the probe," the Chief Minister added.

West Bengal junior doctors' sit-in protests outside state Health and Family Welfare headquarters- Swasthya Bhavan- entered the fifth day on Saturday after the efforts to hold a discussion between the protesters and the government on the RG Kar rape-murder incident failed on Thursday evening.

The junior doctors refused to enter into a dialogue with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after the government refused to stream the meeting live.

Despite the government asking the protesters to send a 15-member team for the meeting, a 30-member delegation of junior doctors reached the state headquarters Nabanna.

Though the government accepted the 30-member team, it remained firm on denying live streaming but allowed recording of the meeting.

After the doctors refused to participate in the meeting without live streaming, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who claimed she waited for two hours at Nabanna Sabhaghar, accused the protesters of aiming to capture political power and not seeking justice.