Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday night announced that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, director of health services and director of medical education would be removed, giving in to the demands of the agitating junior doctors.
Following a meeting with the medics, she claimed that talks were “fruitful” and nearly “99 per cent of their demands have been accepted”, Banerjee said. The name of the new Kolkata police commissioner will be announced after 4 PM on Tuesday, she told reporters after the meeting held at her residence to resolve the RG Kar impasse.
The chief minister urged the doctors to return to work as most of their demands have been accepted. “No punitive action will be taken against the doctors… I would request them to rejoin work as common people are suffering,” she said.
The Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police (North), against whom the victim’s family has levelled allegatiosn of bribery, will also be removed, the Chief Minister said.
Banerjee added that the government has accepted all four demands made by the protesting doctors, and one of the demands — a CBI probe into the rape-murder — is already underway.
However, the doctors, though they welcomed the removal of the Kolkata police commissioner, said that their protests would continue until the promises made by the Chief Minister materialise. They stated that not all their demands were met, citing their call for the removal of the Health Secretary.
Addressing the media after the meeting with the doctors, Banerjee said, “In view of the demand of junior doctors, Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal said in the meeting that he is ready to resign. At 4 pm, Vineet will hand over the responsibility to the new CP”.
Apart from the changes in the police, the Director of Medical Education, Kaustav Naik, and the Director of Health Services, Debashis Halder, have also been removed from their posts.
The Chief Minister stated that the meeting was “positive” and said the government accepted the four demands put forth by the doctors. She also requested the junior doctors to withdraw their cease-work.
“I have urged agitating docs to withdraw cease work as three of their five demands have been accepted. …No punitive action will be taken against protesting doctors,” she said.
Banerjee further mentioned that a committee, led by the Chief Secretary, has been formed to address all matters related to the health sector’s infrastructure.
Following Banerjee’s announcement, the protesting doctors celebrated at their dharna site. However, they announced that the protests would continue until the promises made by the Chief Minister are fulfilled.
“Removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal our moral victory. …Our cease work, demonstration to continue till promises made by Bengal CM to fulfil our demands materialise,” the doctors said.
They added, “It is a win for the agitation. It is a fact that the state administration has admitted to most of our demands. However, a discussion took place regarding the corruption case in the Health Department, and until it is resolved, we will not end the cease-work”.
A 31-year-old second-year postgraduate medical student was raped and killed inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. This sparked massive outrage across the country, and doctors in West Bengal have been protesting since then, seeking justice for the victim and measures to ensure proper security and a safe work environment in hospitals.
