In the ongoing stalemate between protesting doctors and the West Bengal government, senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh has alleged that “opposition forces” are plotting an attack on the protesters to discredit the Mamata Banerjee administration and the ruling party. Ghosh presented an audio clip as evidence of the purported conspiracy.
The doctors have been protesting since August 9, following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Ghosh stated, “The conversation involves a member of the Left’s youth wing and someone from an ultra-Left group discussing a plot to attack the doctors’ sit-in. They aim to frame the ruling party and state government for the violence, claiming it is a response to the deadlock.” He also called for police to prevent outsiders from entering the protest site at Swasthya Bhavan, Kolkata’s health department headquarters.
In response, the police have filed a case and made one arrest. CPI(M) spokesperson Fuad Halim demanded an investigation into how Ghosh obtained the audio clip. He criticized the administration for its lack of action regarding the group of individuals who allegedly compromised the crime scene at RG Kar hospital on August 14. Halim accused the Trinamool Congress of fostering a “threat culture” in West Bengal.
Efforts to discuss the situation between the state government and the doctors have been repeatedly stalled. On Wednesday, the doctors had set four conditions for the talks: a delegation of at least 30 members, a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a focus on their five-point demands, and a live telecast. While three conditions were met, the meeting on Thursday failed because the government refused the live streaming request.
Chief Minister Banerjee explained that live streaming the meeting would violate protocol due to ongoing court proceedings. She expressed her willingness to resign, stating, “I want justice for Tilottama (the murdered trainee doctor) and to ensure people receive medical treatment. I am ready to step down if it serves the public interest.” Banerjee claimed some members of the delegation were receiving outside instructions to disrupt negotiations.
The doctors’ demands include holding those responsible for the rape and murder accountable, taking disciplinary action against former RG Kar Medical College Principal Sandip Ghosh, resignations of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, enhanced security for healthcare workers, and addressing the prevailing “threat culture” in government healthcare facilities. They have also appealed to the President and Prime Minister for intervention to resolve the deadlock.