‘Ready to resign… I also want justice,’ says CM Mamata Banerjee amid stand-off with doctors

Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee offered to resign from her post as the deadlock with agitating doctors continues over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The chief minister said she is not concerned about the post and only wants justice in the case.

“I am ready to resign from the post of chief minister of West Bengal. I am not concerned about the post. I want justice, I am only concerned about justice getting served," she said.

On September 12, the West Bengal government gave a 5 pm slot for a meeting to end the impasse over the RG Kar hospital incident, but rejected the protesters’ demand for live telecast of the talks. The medics, however, said they will not attend the meeting if live-streaming is not allowed, one of the protestors Aniket Mahato told news agency PTI.

"We have been waiting for over two hours to meet our doctor brothers and sister 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," Benerjee said.

The demonstrations erupted following the discovery of a postgraduate trainee doctor's body at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The deceased was found with significant injuries. In response to the incident, the Calcutta High Court has ordered an investigation, which is currently being carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The chief minister apologised to the people of Bengal and requested junior doctors to contribute to work and save people of the state.