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Chief Secretary Manoj Pant urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members to the meeting and indicated that a positive response would be appreciated.
The stalemate between the West Bengal government and the protesting doctors continued after the latter put a fresh set of demands on talks while considering the government’s appeal to discuss the horrific rape and murder case. The doctors said that discussions must be held in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and broadcast it live.
The government’s invitation, sent via email at 3:49 am on Wednesday, proposed a discussion at the state secretariat, Nabanna, at 6 pm the same day.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members to the meeting and indicated that a positive response would be appreciated.
The invitation did not confirm whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would be present.
Pant’s letter also addressed the doctors’ defiance of a Supreme Court order to resume duties by 5 pm on Tuesday.
“You will, no doubt, appreciate and agree that as a law-abiding citizen, it is everyone’s bounden duty to adhere to these directions. Unfortunately, it has not been adhered to so far,” Pant wrote.
He added that the state government hoped the doctors would return to work and provide necessary care to the public.
Despite the invitation, the junior doctors set few pre-conditions for talks.
“There are several points that need to be discussed before we decide whether to accept the invitation to Nabanna or not,” one of the doctors said.
Around 5:23 PM, the agitating doctors said the delegation must include at least 30 representatives as several medical colleges and hospitals are involved in the agitation.
“We want the discussion to be held in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and be telecast live. We want at least 30 representatives as this movement is spread across various medical colleges and hospitals,” a member of the junior doctors’ forum said at a press conference.
The doctors said even if they go to the meeting, “they will attend it without any pre-conclusion.”
“If we attend the meeting, we will come back and discuss it with our friends and then announce our decision,” the junior doctor said.
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