As Kolkata doctors’ protest rolls on, is Mamata Banerjee stooping to conquer?
The West Bengal CM has changed tack by softening her stance on the protests and shifting the focus on the human cost of the disruption to health services.
A poster hangs at the protest site as junior doctors continued their 'cease work' and sit-in demonstration against the RG Kar Hospital incident for the third consecutive day, outside Swasthya Bhavan in Kolkata, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
(PTI Photo)
It appeared to be a different Mamata Banerjee under the harsh glare of the public eye: gracious, tolerant, and patient. As the West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson waited for over two hours for a delegation of junior doctors to meet her at the state secretariat on Thursday, it was in stark contrast to the Mamata Banerjee who on August 28, at a rally to mark the foundation day of the students’ wing of her party, made a remark that was seen as containing a threat to file FIRs against the protesters.
After the junior doctors refused to meet her over the government’s decision to live-stream the discussions, Banerjee sounded apologetic and almost helpless. For the first time since the widespread protests began and the government entered into a stand-off with the doctors, the CM said she was ready to resign.
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“They are here for the chair, not justice. For the sake of the people, I am ready to resign. I don’t want the chief ministership. I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected that the issue would be resolved today,” she said at a press conference.
However, last month, as the protests initially ballooned and a little-known outfit called Chhatra Samaj — which the TMC alleged was backed by the RSS — tried to march to the state secretariat, Nabanna, Banerjee had appeared to harden her stance while scrambling to contain the fallout of the doctor’s rape and murder. This culminated in the remarks on August 28 in which she said, “I never wanted revenge. But now I say, you understand well what needs to be done … The ugly, slanderous one that bites you every day, you don’t bite him, but you can hiss.” Following a backlash, she was forced to clarify that she had not threatened the protesters.
The comments and her nephew and second-in-command Abhishek Banerjee’s appeal to everyone, including those in his party, to be humble and not speak ill of the protesters revealed a certain divide in the party about how to respond to the protests that have now stretched for almost a month. The CM’s comments on Thursday show her acceptance that a hard stance has not worked and a better approach is to appeal to the emotions and conscience of the protesters and the public at large.
On Thursday, claiming that 29 people have died due to the disruption in health services, Banerjee also subtly attempted to shift the focus to the human cost of the protests. “It is sad and unfortunate that we have lost 29 precious lives due to disruption in health services because of long-drawn cease work by junior doctors. In order to extend a helping hand to the bereaved families, State Government announces a token financial relief of Rs. 2 lakh to family members of each deceased person,” the CM wrote on X.
“Mamata Banerjee has shown tremendous restraint in the face of protests by the junior doctors and the civil society,” a senior TMC leader said, but added a word of caution. “In the beginning, the administration made some blunders for which she is now paying the price. On Thursday, there was a golden chance to resolve the dispute when the doctors came to Nabanna. The administration should have agreed to the demand for live-streaming the proceedings. That would have put the government on the front foot.”
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A senior government officer said, “The CM made a mistake when she did not remove the Kolkata Police Commissioner. Now the administration has to find a way to pacify the protesters before Durga Puja. Failure to do so may create a serious problem for the government.”
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
