That's why Mamata Banerjee accepted the demand of junior doctors
September 18, 2024Updated:September 18, 20248 Mins Read

International Desk: Mamata Banerjee virtually 'accepted' the demands of the protesting junior doctors demanding justice in the rape and murder of a young doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. News from BBC Bengal

He has decided to remove Commissioner of Police Vineet Goel, DC North Gupta, Director of Health Debashis Halder and Director of Health Education Kausthav Naik. He also announced about it while facing the reporters late on Monday night.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal was removed from his post on Tuesday afternoon. The new police commissioner is Manoj Kumar Verma. Goyal has been posted as the head of the Special Task Force.

On Tuesday afternoon, Abhishek Gupta was removed from the post of Deputy Commissioner of North Kolkata and made the head of the 2nd Battalion of the Eastern Frontier Rifles.

Kaustab Naik has been given the post of director of the Institute of Health and Family Welfare. On the other hand, Debashis Halder has been removed as officer and special duty of public health department.

Debashis Halder, one of the spokespersons of the junior doctors' movement, said after this information was revealed, "This move justifies our demand."

The junior doctors on strike demanded the removal of several officers of the concerned department, alleging negligence in the investigation of the murder and rape incident, loss of information, as well as various corruption in the police and health department.

After a long meeting, Mamata Banerjee promised to accept the demand and make administrative changes.

Late on Monday night, the Chief Minister faced the reporters and said, “I think the meeting was positive. I have decided to remove the Director of Health, Director of Health Education. Vineet (Goel) will be sent wherever he wants to work.”

“The first of their (junior doctors') four demands (investigation into the rape and murder cases) is in the hands of the CBI. We have accepted their remaining four demands. Director of Health, Director of Health Education, DC North has also been moved. I have requested them to join the work.”

The agitating doctors have welcomed this decision of the Chief Minister. But they are not withdrawing the movement now. Although the strike has been ordered by the Supreme Court several times, the agitating junior doctors want to take 'time'. They want to wait until this administrative change is implemented.

Aniket Mahat, one of the main faces of the junior doctors' movement, said, “We had a successful meeting with the Chief Minister. Most of our demands have been accepted. Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal, DC North, has decided to transfer the Director of Health and Director of Health Education.”

But they don't want to think of it as victory.

Mahat said, “This is our victory to some extent. Success to our doctors and common people who are fighting with us. But there is still a way to go."

“This movement is not stopping now. The movement will continue until we see this removal implemented.”

Now the question is why the state government is 'pushing back' due to the movement of junior doctors?

Political analysts feel that the state government is somewhat uncomfortable with the ongoing agitation by junior doctors, the support of all-India medical organizations including the Indian Medical Association, and the massive participation of civil society.

At the same time, there is a political side to the promise of reforms according to their opinions and demands.

Incidentally, in the hearing of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, citing the meeting with the state government, their lawyer Indira Jaising told the bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra about the decision of the junior doctors.

On the other hand, lawyer Kapil Sibal, on behalf of the state government, assured that the state government will not take any action against the protesting doctors.

The police commissioner's resignation was demanded by raising several questions, including negligence in the investigation of the rape and murder of a young doctor, loss of evidence and the role of the police in the attack and vandalism of the RG Kar Hospital during the August 14 night occupation program.

Recently, the agitating junior doctors also raided the police headquarters in Lalbazar on that demand. Later he staged a sit-in there for 22 hours.

Their demand was to meet the police commissioner and hand over his resignation memorandum to him. Huge barricades were erected to stop them.

The state came under criticism for this huge barricade to stop the peaceful march. The 'war of nerves' between the police and the agitating doctors continued till the next day. Slowly the barricades are removed. The police commissioner also met the doctors.

The 'flexible' role of the state government at that time was termed by many as 'unprecedented'. But the Chief Minister did not agree with the resignation of the Police Commissioner. He said that in the press conference.

He explained that the police commissioner himself wanted to resign but that was not possible now as his removal before Durga Puja would cause difficulties in the administrative work of the police.

But on Monday, a different tone can be seen in the Chief Minister's voice. He said, "He (Vineet Goyal) himself said that various things are coming up. He also has a family. So he wants to resign."

Senior journalist and political analyst Shikha Mukherjee said, “Without CPK, Durga Puja was not happening, now he is removing him. Now they say the police commissioner has a family. He moves to listen to them. This is a bit confusing. There is actually a matter of creating a narrative.”

The entire country was watching Monday's meeting. Several times the state government tried to hold a meeting with the agitating junior doctors but it failed.

All the three times last week that the meeting was proposed in Navanna, the Chief Minister was said to have waited for the junior doctors. The meeting did not take place as the agitators insisted on live broadcasting of the meeting.

After that last Saturday suddenly the Chief Minister went and appeared at the protest stage of the protestors near the health building. Another meeting was attempted on Saturday evening. which fails. But before that there was a long dramatic situation.

The two sides met on Monday before finally hearing the case in the Supreme Court on Tuesday and he accepted several demands.

Political analyst Bishwanath Chakraborty said, "This is the first time Mamata Banerjee has been forced to bow before someone and they are not her political rivals during Trinamool rule. A mass movement led by junior doctors forced him to back down. It is a victory for the common man, who was associated with this movement.”

Meanwhile, the names of the ruling party leaders have been implicated in a series of corruption allegations.

In the case of rape and murder of a young doctor, there have been allegations of 'cover-up' by the police and the administration in several cases. The state government had to be questioned several times in the Supreme Court.

A lack of 'confidence' in the ruling government was seen amid all these issues. Experts believe that this step is to restore that confidence.

Journalist and writer Snigdhendu Bhattacharya said, “If the ruler makes a mistake, it needs to be corrected. Not only that, if there is a lack of trust in the ruler in the public mind, that should also be brought back.

However, he said, even if not so much, the Chief Minister has been seen to be flexible.

Mr. In Bhattacharya's words, "The Chief Minister has been seen to be flexible before, be it on the issue of installation of electric poles in Bhangare or on the transfer of the Vice-Chancellor at Jadavpur University."

He thinks that this movement led by junior doctors is also a reason for the movement of common people.

Bhattacharya said, “But here the movement was not limited to junior doctors. It became the demand of common people . Even within the Trinamool it was demanded that he accept the demands of the student doctors. "

Bhattacharya said, "Mamata Banerjee has also said this against those officials that she is removing those officials in compliance with the demand but she has no special distrust of herself." Rather, they want to imply that the claim of junior doctors that they are small has been accepted a little too much. So he made it clear that he still has faith in those he trusts."

Political strategy?
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision also has a political dimension. Veteran journalist and political analyst Shikha Mukherjee said, "Just like taking one step forward and two steps back, it is a political strategy."

Political analyst and professor Vishwanath Chakraborty points out another aspect.

According to him, "In this incident, there were demands for the resignation of Health Minister Mamata Banerjee. There were also demands for the resignation of Police Minister Mamata Banerjee questioning the role of the police in the RG Kar Hospital incident. He saved the Police Minister by removing the Commissioner of Police and DC North. Again, he saved the health minister by removing the health director and health education director.”

What will change this decision?
Questions have been raised against whom the junior doctors have raised complaints, the chief minister has promised to remove them in compliance with the demands. But if they are transferred elsewhere, will there be a change?

Doctor Gaurav Roy said, “No disciplinary action has been taken against the police commissioner or health officials. They will be moved elsewhere. What is the den of corruption and it will be clean? They will carry out the same work elsewhere.”

The former doctor of RG Kar Hospital brought up the matter of Police DG Rajeev Kumar. In his words, "I have seen the time of police officer Rajeev Kumar before this as well. Though his name was implicated in the Sarada case, he was later brought back with dignity.”

However, the agitators feel that the administrative action to comply with the demands of the agitators from the government is not a small matter.

Aniket Mahat, associated with the movement, said, "Those who were asked to resign are being transferred elsewhere, but this step is also beneficial for us. This is because Mr. There is no higher position in the police than the one held by Vineet Goel. The same is the case with the two Health Officers who have been transferred. Their removal from the importance of their current positions makes sense.”

Bishwanath Chakraborty expressed his opinion in this context. In his words, "I don't think that moving an official from one place to another will change the corruption allegations that have been made in the holes of the office or change the attitude of those against whom the allegations are made."

"Now the important thing is whether this removal or reshuffle will bring any change in the politics of Bengal? I think the kind of citizen movement that has been seen, led by junior doctors, if that movement continues, there will be a bigger change. If this movement continues against the corruption that has come to light in various fields including medicine, there will be a change from the ground up. Attitudes will change.”

"Or the victory that the junior doctors have seen because the Chief Minister's demand is accepted will be stuck in the RG Kar Hospital incident."

In this context, Aniket Mahat said that they are hopeful to bring change. He said, "We are interested from the beginning to lift the strike and return to work. We will do that but the movement against this corruption, syndicate and threat culture in the health sector will continue. We also need to ensure security. The same situation should be eliminated in other hospitals and colleges as well.”