‘I am ready to resign for the good of the people’: Mamata Banerjee as RG Kar standoff continues

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered her resignation on Thursday, September 12, saying it was “for the good of the people”. She urged junior doctors to return to work amid ongoing protests against the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case. Addressing a press conference, Banerjee, with folded hands at times, expressed frustration over doctors’ refusal to engage in talks despite her repeated attempts to resolve the crisis.

“I apologise to the people of Bengal who were expecting an end to the RG Kar impasse today. They (the junior doctors) came to Nabanna but did not attend the meeting. I request them to get back to work,” Banerjee said, adding, “I am ready to resign for the welfare of the people. Despite my best intentions and efforts over the last three days, the medical officers have refused to hold talks.”

The doctors stuck to their stance. When the prospect of talks collapsed, a representative of the junior doctors in Nabanna told the media: “We are disheartened to hear this. We never asked for her resignation, only justice… this is not a battle of egos.”

Banerjee reiterated her commitment to justice, saying, “I am not worried about the post. I want justice, I just want justice to be done.”

The chief minister’s press conference came after the protesting junior doctors arrived at the state secretariat in Nabanna. They insisted on live telecasting the talks, a demand that the state government rejected as the “matter is still in court”, Banerjee said.

“We wanted to live stream the lectures for the sake of transparency, period. It’s not about preconceptions, pride or ego,” said the resident representative.

The West Bengal Chief Minister stressed, “I have waited for them for three days even though they did not accept the Supreme Court verdict. As per the Supreme Court’s instructions, they have to resume duty.”

The protesters, who arrived 25 minutes late for the scheduled meeting, had brought a delegation of 30, twice the number required by the government, saying that since all government medical colleges were involved in the protest, there should be adequate representation at the crucial talks.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Manoj Pant said of the government’s efforts to resolve the dispute, “We have tried our best to make them understand. We have made record-keeping arrangements so that the entire proceedings are well documented. There should be trust between the two parties… there is no conflict situation. We both have the same objective.”

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Despite the growing tensions, the government has refrained from taking disciplinary action against the protesting doctors. Banerjee stressed: “Sometimes it is our duty to show tolerance.” However, with no solution in sight, the impasse continues to affect healthcare across the state.