'Drawing salary without duties': Bengal minister slams junior doctors' agitation, labels it as 'drama'

'The junior doctors should now stop this drama. It has been going on for quite some time and has clearly crossed its limits. It is apparent that vested political interests are now dictating the agitation,' Chowdhury told reporters.

Kolkata: Senior West Bengal Minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury on Monday criticised the ongoing 'cease work' by junior doctors, labeling it as "drama" and a "politicised event" intended to malign the TMC government in the state.

Meanwhile, the agitating doctors continued their sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan, the headquarters of the health department, for the eighth day and their 'cease work' for the 36th day demanding justice for the medic who was raped-murdered at the RG Kar hospital.

The doctors have vowed to persist with their protest until their demands— removal of Kolkata Police Commissioner and senior state health officials—are met.

"The junior doctors should now stop this drama. It has been going on for quite some time and has clearly crossed its limits. It is apparent that vested political interests are now dictating the agitation," he told reporters.

"Some of the junior doctors are demanding live-streaming because they don't trust the government. Yet, at the same time, they are drawing a salary from the government without performing their duties. They trust the government when they need a promotion but not when it comes to negotiations? This is absurd," he said.

The West Bengal government on Monday "for the fifth and final time" invited the protesting junior doctors for talks to resolve the RG Kar impasse, two days after previous discussions failed to materialise due to disagreement over live-streaming of the meeting.

In an email to the protesting junior doctors, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant asked them to come to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at Kalighat at 5 pm on Monday for the talks.