TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday (September 13) lashed out at the protesting medics of West Bengal dubbing them “inhumane and unfit to become doctors” and urged the Mamata Banerjee government to ensure that they are not allowed to appear for their final examination. The Trinamool Congress leader's outburst came after agitating junior doctors, even after reaching the gates of the state secretariat Nabanna, refused to hold talks with the state government unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse was met.
The meeting did not take place as the Mamata Banerjee government did not allow live-streaming but said the proceedings could be video-recorded, an option which was rejected by the doctors.
“Those doctors, who are agitating for the last month, putting the lives of lakhs of patients at stake, do not deserve to be a doctor. They are unfit to become doctors. I failed to understand how these medics behave so inhumanly. I would urge the state government to ensure that these junior doctors who have been protesting are not allowed to appear for their final exams,” Kalyan Banerjee told reporters.
The medics have been on 'cease work' since August 9, when the body of an on-duty post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hosptial where she was raped and murdered. An accused Sanjay Roy was arrested by the Kolkata Police. The CBI is currently investigating the case.
Holding the agitating doctors responsible for the death of 27 patients in state-run hospitals across the state, the MP asked if the protesting doctors take responsibility for those deaths.
“The doctors have said those patients have been provided with proper treatment and medication. Then there should be a proper investigation and these junior doctors should be taken into custody for proper interrogation to bring out the truth,” Kalyan Banerjee said.
The Sreerampore MP on Thursday participated in a rally in his constituency to protest against the death of the patients, including one from his area, because of alleged lack of treatment at government hospitals following the cease work by the junior doctors.
"I took part in a mass rally organized by " Bongo Jagoron Mancha" in protest against the reactionary forces that have plunged Bengal into chaos. The rally called for a swift trial for the doctors who were wronged at RG Kar Hospital and demanded accountability for those responsible for the death of Vikram from Konnagar, who passed away due to inadequate treatment," he posted on X.
The agitating junior doctors have been demanding justice for the deceased medic, along with enhanced security measures for women health professionals and the suspension of several officials, including the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the state health secretary, for alleged mishandling of the case.
(With PTI inputs)
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