Amid a standoff between the protesting junior doctors and the West Bengal government, the doctors have opened a free clinic called the Abhaya Clinic near the Swasthya Bhawan in Salt Lake.
While earlier, the ‘Abhaya Clinic’ initiative was taken at a few places, this time, it is in the vicinity of the protest site. The clinic has all departments and is being manned by the junior doctors themselves. Hundreds of people living in the vicinity took advantage of the ‘Abhaya Clinic’ and went and got themselves checked.
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The move to open the ‘Abhaya Clinic’ came a day after talks between the protesters and the Mamata Banerjee-led administration failed. While a group of around 30 junior doctors had reached Nabanna Sabhaghar to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the protesters refused to enter the meeting hall over the authorities not allowing live streaming of the meeting.
Later, Banerjee held a press conference and offered to resign from her post for “the sake of the people”. She also requested the protesting doctors to return to work. She said, “I have ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) and Supreme Court’s order but I will not take any action. I request the doctors to return to work,” she said.
Hundreds of people living in the vicinity took advantage of the ‘Abhaya Clinic’ and went and got themselves checked | Photo credit: Sancharee Mondal Dutta
She also justified her administration’s refusal to allow live streaming of the meeting by saying that since the case is subjudice before the Supreme Court, she won’t be able to allow live streaming.
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In a counter press briefing, the protesting doctors told the media that they will continue their protests and refused to budge. They also said that they wanted to discuss their five-point demands and not the case, thus, justifying their demand for live streaming of the meeting.
Meanwhile, in the backdrop of the failed meeting, the protesting doctors on Friday shot off a letter to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their intervention in the matter.
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The letter reads, “We humbly place the issues before your esteemed excellency, as the head of state, so that our unfortunate colleague who has been the victim of the most despicable crime shall receive justice, and so that we, the healthcare professionals under the West Bengal Health department, may be able to discharge our duties to the public without fear and apprehension.”
