Kolkata: Except for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, no one in the West Bengal Cabinet will respond to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, as well as the demonstrations by junior doctors in the state.
Perhaps, sensing the situation’s urgency, Chief Minister Banerjee chaired a meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna on Tuesday and gave strict instructions to her Cabinet colleagues on this matter.
The sources added that the party spokespersons have been asked to refrain from commenting on the issue until further instructions from the Chief Minister are received.
At the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Banerjee also stressed that the task of setting up five additional fast-track POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) courts will have to be completed at the earliest.
The sources also said that the Chief Minister has directed her Cabinet colleagues to assume more responsibility for their respective ministries and departments.
It is learnt that amid the continuing protests by the junior doctors against the ghastly rape and murder of the trainee doctor, Chief Minister Banerjee has decided to convene a meeting of all the principals and medical superintendent-cum- vice principals (MSVPs) of the state-run medical college and hospitals on September 12.
The sources said all the district magistrates, police superintendents, police commiserate heads, and chief medical officers of different districts have been asked to attend the meeting.
The meeting will discuss the security measures that must be put in place immediately in the state’s medical colleges to prevent R.G. Kar-like incidents from occurring in the future, the sources said.
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Junior doctors continue their protests.
Meanwhile, representatives of the medical fraternity, including senior and junior doctors, medical students, and members of the nursing community, continued their sit-in demonstration outside the Swasthya Bhavan in Salt Lake, the headquarters of the state Health Department, demonstrating their unity and strength.
The protesting doctors said their sit-in will continue unless their main demands are met, which include suspending the Health Secretary, Director of Health Services, and Director of Medical Education.
On Monday, the Supreme Court had said that doctors in West Bengal protesting against the R.G. Kar rape-murder must resume their duties by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, failing which the state government will be authorised to initiate disciplinary action against them.
Despite the passing of the deadline for their return to duties, the doctors continue to protest.
However, unnerved by the Supreme Court ultimatum, hours later, the junior doctors vowed to continue their agitation and gave a call to march to the Swasthya Bhavan on Tuesday afternoon.
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–IANS
(Photo: IANS)
