‘I am ready to resign’: Mamata Banerjee as deadlock with doctors persists over Kolkata rape case

Mamata Banerjee has offered to resign as the West Bengal chief minister as the deadlock with the protesting junior doctors persists over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The protesting doctors, who were supposed to hold talks with the Bengal government in the presence of Mamata Banerjee, refused to proceed further unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting was met. “For people’s sake, I am ready to resign; I also want justice for murdered RG Kar hospital doctor,” Mamata Banerjee said.

The talks were to be held at 5 pm at the secretariat but the delegation of the protesters stayed put at the gates, while Mamata Banerjee waited inside. Media channels later aired a video of the chief minister and some other officials waiting at the secretariat.

Addressing a press conference later, Mamata Banerjee said the government waited for over two hours but “received no communication from the doctors”.

“We have been waiting for over two hours to meet our doctor brothers and sisters who were invited here. We wrote them a letter and they wrote us back assuring that they will come. Only after receiving their confirmation, we invited them but it's been two hours and there is no communication from them yet. We asked them to come with an open mind and talk about any issue. Solutions can only be found through dialogues,” Mamata Banerjee said.

The chief minister said, “I tried thrice to hold talks with junior doctors to end RG Kar stalemate.”

Mamata Banerjee also “apologised” to the people of Bengal for the impasse that has disrupted the medical services across the city. “I apologise to Bengal people who expected an end to RG Kar impasse today," she said, adding, “Twenty- seven people died, 7 lakh patients suffering because of junior doctors' cease work,” she said.

After Mamata Banerjee's statement, the agitating doctors said, “We did not seek CM Mamata Banerjee's resignation, we want solution to RG Kar stalemate. We are unhappy that talks over RG Kar impasse with CM Mamata Banerjee did not take place.”

The West Bengal government on Wednesday rejected junior doctors' demands for her presence and a live broadcast as pre-conditions for talks to resolve the month-long 'cease work' and standoff over the alleged rape-murder of a woman medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.