Kolkata Doctors Maintain Strike Until All Demands Are Fulfilled Following Meeting

Junior doctors have declared that their strike will persist until all their demands are satisfied. This announcement came despite the West Bengal government's decision to appoint Manoj Kumar Verma, a senior IPS officer, as the new Kolkata Police chief. The state also removed two senior health department officials, aligning with the doctors' requests.

The decision to continue the strike was made after a governing body meeting that began at 6:30 PM and concluded around 1 AM on Wednesday. A doctor stated at a press conference, "Till all our demands are met with, the agitation and cease work will continue. We want fresh talks with the state government."

Government's Response to Doctors' Demands

The appointment of Verma as the city police commissioner followed a meeting between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the striking junior doctors. This meeting aimed to resolve the ongoing dispute related to an incident at RG Kar hospital. The state government took this step a day after Banerjee's discussions with the doctors.

In addition to appointing Verma, Banerjee had promised changes in key positions during her meeting with the doctors. Consequently, Director of Health Services Debashis Halder and Director of Medical Education Kaustav Nayak were removed from their posts. Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police's North Division Abhishek Gupta was also relieved of his duties.

Changes in Health Department Leadership

Swapan Soren has been appointed as the interim Director of Health Services. However, no replacement has been announced for the Director of Medical Education position yet. These changes were part of Banerjee's efforts to address the grievances raised by the junior doctors.

The removal of Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal was another significant decision announced by Banerjee. Goyal had faced criticism over his handling of a sensitive case involving the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar hospital.

The ongoing strike by junior doctors highlights their determination to see all demands fulfilled before resuming work. The state government's recent actions indicate an effort to meet some of these demands and resolve the situation amicably.