Sat Sep 14 16:57:40 UTC 2024: ## West Bengal CM Appeals to Protesting Doctors: “I am Your Didi, Not the Chief Minister”

**Kolkata, India -** In a bid to end the ongoing protest by junior doctors in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a surprise visit to their protest site outside Swasthya Bhavan on Saturday. The doctors, who have been protesting for over a month demanding better security and justice for the rape and murder of a trainee doctor, welcomed the Chief Minister’s gesture and agreed to meet her at her residence.

However, the meeting was marred by controversy as the doctors insisted on having their videographer present to record the proceedings. While the Chief Minister agreed to meet the doctors, she refused to allow the videographer inside her residence, leading to further tension.

Earlier, the doctors had refused to meet the Chief Minister after a planned meeting on Thursday was canceled due to the state government’s refusal to livestream the event. This had prompted the Chief Minister to declare she was ready to “relinquish her chair for the sake of the people.”

During her visit to the protest site, the Chief Minister appealed to the doctors, emphasizing her role as their “didi” (elder sister) rather than the Chief Minister. She promised to listen to their demands and take action if anyone is found guilty in the case of the trainee doctor’s murder.

“This is my last attempt to resolve the crisis,” she said, urging the doctors to end their protest and return to work. She also stated that she would not take any action against them, unlike the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, where the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) was used to end similar protests.

Following the meeting, the doctors expressed their willingness to discuss their issues with proper representation and transparency. They hailed the Chief Minister’s presence at the protest site as a “welcome step” towards resolving the crisis.

The five-point demands of the protesting doctors include better security at state-run hospitals, the removal of top officials over the trainee doctor’s rape and murder, and a swift investigation into the case. It remains to be seen whether the meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence will lead to a resolution of the ongoing protest.

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