Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday disbanded the Rugi Kalyan Samitis – associations for the welfare of patients – in all the state-run hospitals and healthcare facilities as she reached out to the junior doctors protesting in front of the Swasthya Bhawan in the Calcutta suburb of Salt Lake.

The Rugi Kalyan Samitis were set up under the direction of the National Health Mission at all state-run healthcare facilities across the country. The Samiti’s primary role is to approve infrastructural and administrative decisions, purchases and admission of patients.

The NHM had included representatives MLA/MP in the committee along with health officials, district officials, representatives of the Indian Medical Association. In Calcutta and the rest of the state, most of the Samiti heads are ministers, MPs and MLAs.

Mamata, who holds the health portfolio besides being chief minister, said she was not aware of how the Rugi Kalyan Samitis were functioning in the state.

On Saturday morning, the chief minister took everyone by surprise and went to the protest site of the doctors, urging them to return to work. She said she had come as a Didi, not the chief minister.

“I believe many have died due to lack of treatment. Your parents are also worried. Please resume work,” Mamata told the protesting junior doctors who have been camping outside Swasthya Bhawan since Wednesday afternoon. “We have started work on improving the healthcare infrastructure and development. All Rugi Kalyan Samity hereby stand cancelled in the state. Principals of the medical colleges will head the board now which will have representation from police, junior doctors and nurses.”

She was accompanied by Bengal’s acting director-general of police Rajeev Kumar.

At the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital where the rape and murder of a 31-year old postgraduate trainee had sparked a movement over a month ago, the Rugi Kalyan Samity was earlier headed by Trinamul’s former Rajya Sabha MP Shantanu Sen, who was later replaced by the Serampore MLA and another doctor Sudipto Roy.

The CBI, which is probing the graft charges against the former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, had conducted a raid on Roy’s residence and nursing home on Wednesday.

The chief minister assured the junior doctors the government will not take any action if the medics returned to the hospitals.

“I will not take any action. I am not UP police. They had clamped ESMA [Essential Services Maintenance Act], I will not,” she announced from the makeshift dais. “Remember, there is a Supreme Court hearing on 17th [Tuesday]. I don’t want any harm to come to you. I am your Didi. I have come here as your elder sister, as a sympathiser to your movement and not the chief minister.”

She assured the agitating junior doctors that their demands will be heard with sympathy and she will take a discussion after holding talks with the police ADG, chief secretary Manoj Pant and home secretary Nandini Chakravarty.

“Please give me some time,” Mamata said.

Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, who is heading a three-member bench of the Supreme Court hearing the RG Kar matter, had on Tuesday directed the junior doctors to return to work by 5 pm on Wednesday.

Bengal’s junior doctors instead marched to the Swasthya Bhawan to press for their demands. Twice attempts were made to bring the junior doctors to the negotiation table without any conditions. The junior doctors have insisted that the meeting with the chief minister has to be live streamed.

While questions have been raised on some people in the health department wielding unprecedented power, Mamata appeared to distance herself from those accused of running a ‘syndicate’ in the hospitals.

“No culprit is my friend. Nor are they my enemies. And I have no connection with people allegedly involved. I don’t know them, they came through processes,” said Mamata.

The chief minister if they wanted justice for the rape and murder victim they should talk to the CBI which is investigating the case.

While welcoming the dismantling of the Rugi Kalyan Samitis, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front said they were ready to sit for talks with the chief minister on their five main demands, which include justice for the victim, suspension and action against some health department officials and removal of Calcutta’s commissioner of police, Vineet Goyal.

Subarno Goswami, the joint secretary of the Association of Health Services Doctors, said the Trinamul had changed the rules on the formation of the Rugi Kalyan Samity after coming to power. "During the Left Front rule, it was decided that the MLAs irrespective of the party would head the committee. After the Trinamul came to power all decisions on the members were taken by the government and elected representatives of the opposition parties were excluded, giving a free hand to the Trinamul leaders," Goswami said.