Kolkata. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with 675 senior and junior doctors on Monday. This meeting was named 'Doctors' Conference' and 'Medical service is human service', in which doctors from the state's medical colleges and hospitals participated. However, during this time she said something to the doctors, which caused controversy.
Addressing the doctors, Mamata Banerjee said, 'I will tell you people not to go abroad. Stay here in Bengal, see what is happening with 'iron chains' (with those who are to be deported)...
The Trinamool chief also demanded strict punishment for those responsible for the rape and murder of a lady doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Monday. She described the lady doctor who lost her life as her 'sister' and expressed deep condolences to the victim's parents. The doctor was raped and murdered in the hospital.
Addressing a special gathering of senior-junior doctors and medical students at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium, Mamata said, 'I am sensitive to that family, I demand maximum punishment for the accused. I will tell my brothers to protect their sisters... and sisters should also protect their brothers.'
Along with this, she said, 'If the patient sees that the doctor has given good treatment, then they go home very happy. However, many times a very wrong campaign is run on social media about doctors. It is not right that all doctors are like this. Like fake videos, fake medicines have also come out. If doctors stay united, they will be beyond politics. The job of doctors is to serve.'
She highlighted her government's efforts to ensure justice and stressed on introducing the Aparajita Bill, which provides for death penalty for rape convicts. She said, 'I also took to the streets to protest against this incident. Our government passed the Aparajita Bill, but it is still pending (with the President).'
On August 9 last year, a 31-year-old doctor was raped and murdered in a government hospital in Kolkata, sparking outrage across the country. Following the incident, the Aparajita Women and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Law and Amendment) Bill, 2024 was unanimously passed by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly last September. The bill provides for death penalty for rape convicts if their crime leads to the death of the victim or she goes into a coma.
