A movement driven by politics. A mailed response at 3.45am. A missed chance of brainstorming.

The doctors camping near Swasthya Bhavan for over 48 hours countered every allegation levelled at them by the administration.

Metro listened to what some of them had to say:

Parichay Panda

Postgraduate trainee, Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratisthan

They have to understand that we are doctors and we are not politicians. This movement is a people’s movement. It rises above the barriers of religion, caste, creed and sex.

When you are on the road for 24 hours and you are dedicated to a cause, you cannot stick to a perfect daily routine of propriety.

We have to take everyone on board before any communication. People who are running this movement are doing so democratically.
This is of utmost importance. The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum has representatives from all 27 medical colleges in the state.

There will be brainstorming sessions with the chief minister for sure. But the sessions will have to dwell on the resignation of the director of medical education, director of health services, principal health secretary and the commissioner of Kolkata Police.

(From left) Parichay Panda, Anubhav Mondal, Aqeeb Ashraf and Bipresh Chakraborty

Anubhav Mondal

Postgraduate trainee, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital

We have distanced ourselves from political parties since the start of the protest. We have said we had nothing to do with the Nabanna march (which was called by Paschimbanga Chhatra Samaj and saw widespread unrest).

Everyone votes for some party or the other.

If we can stay awake the whole night, then why not send a mail at 3.45am?

Maybe they were tired and sleepy, not us.

Aqeeb Ashraf

Postgraduate trainee, National Medical College and Hospital

To say that we are driven by politics is a downright lie. All the medical colleges are protesting together. Pan-India, major colleges are with us. Private practitioners are also here. Is the administration trying to tell us that everyone is politicised?

It is the heinous nature of the crime that has forced all of us to come out on the streets.

In the email that we got, there was no mention of the honourable chief minister waiting for us. We wanted to meet her. This was never conveyed to us. We have specifically demanded a live telecast of the meeting and the chief minister’s presence. We want representatives of all medical colleges to be present at the meeting. That’s why we said 30 people would attend the meeting.

Bipresh Chakraborty

Postdoctoral intern, SSKM Hospital

Nabanna, till we last heard, was the administrative headquarters. How can they make political statements from the headquarters of the state administration while sitting with officers holding administrative posts of the government?

It is not a party office.

Secondly, they spoke about the movement being hijacked. We think the most uncommon thing in society is common sense. We are awake for 24 hours facing heat and rain. This is an organic movement. We are not professional protesters.

We have to discuss with everyone and then decide a course of action. That is why there was a delay in sending the email. They have to understand that each group meeting lasts for a few hours before a consensus is reached. That consensus is very important.