RG Kar: Mamata Banerjee shows up at junior doctors' protest site, requests them to join work with promise of justice

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.

Junior doctors' march to Swasthya Bhavan | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

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.

Junior doctors' march to Swasthya Bhavan | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

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.

"I am not here as the Chief Minister but as your Didi as your elder sister. I urge you to return to work. I support your movement for justice," she told the agitating doctors.

"We have already initiated the renovation work of the state-run hospitals and will revamp the health infrastructure...We will form new Rogi Kalyan Samitis...No culprit is my friend and will not be spared if found guilty," she added.

In response, the protesters said, "We appreciate her effort. We are too ready for talks anywhere at any time. But we are firm on our demands."

Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS

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.

In response, the protesters said, "We appreciate her visit to the dharna site. But we are not backing out from our demands. We are ready for talks anywhere at any time."

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.