The Trinamul Congress on Sunday expressed “surprise” and “shock” at the continuing agitation by junior doctors, although, according to the party, their demands had already been met.

In a Facebook post written in Bengali, Trinamul secretary-general and minister Partha Chatterjee attributed the agitators’ refusal to resume services to the “motive” of “some” to allegedly insult the post of chief minister.

He issued the statement after it became clearer during the day that the junior doctors had softened their stand and were willing to participate in the dialogue initiated by Mamata Banerjee.

“I am truly surprised and shocked that the little brothers and sisters are unnecessarily endangering patients through the cease-work of services at hospitals. Will they not think even once that on them rests the responsibility of sheba of the people, just as the responsibility of the security of patients and those attached to hospitals rests with the administration?” asked Chatterjee.

Sources in ruling establishment said Chatterjee’s post should be deemed as the formal response of the party to the issue.

“But it is becoming clear now that there is the motive of some at play behind their cease-work, there is enough evidence with me,” he wrote.

Chatterjee asserted that the demands of the agitators were met by the chief minister and the administration with “enough patience”, but the protesters kept imposing conditions. “Despite that (the demands being met), they are unnecessarily coming up with condition after condition to insult the post of the chief minister. Why is that?” he asked, adding that when the administration has come forward to take care of their core issues then they should think of the patients.

Chatterjee questioned the imposition of conditions and warned them against losing the sympathy of the masses.

“They should now think of the patients with a humane view and withdraw their cease-work immediately to rejoin work. That is my call to them,” he wrote.

“Please do not impose condition after condition and lose the sympathy of the people…. Do not waste time unnecessarily by inconveniencing the people through the imposition of conditions,” he added, hoping for the emergence of good sense.

“How are the agitators disbelieving the media of the state? Or else why are they unnecessarily imposing conditions to ensure the national media is a witness? Why, for what need?”