West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has worsened the doctor’s protest in the state by reiterating her ‘outsider’ claim. The protest in the state has intensified and is now taking a nationwide dimension.
Addressing the crowd at the Naihati area in North 24 Parganas, Mamata named the doctors of Indian Medical Association who called for a Pan India strike and alleged the ones who are not protesting are not from the state, reports Republic TV.
“Outsiders are creating a situation and havoc in the doctors’ issue. There are some insiders but mostly they are outsiders,” Banerjee said.
Irked by these allegations, protesting doctors at NRS hospital in Kolkata responded unanimously and said if they are outsiders then Banerjee led government must check their ID cards.
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The agitating doctors asserted their protest is apolitical.
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In an autocratic diktat to the people residing in West Bengal, Banerjee issued an ultimatum asking them to learn and converse only in Bengali if they wish to continue living in the state.
Addressing the Trinamool Congress rally in North 24 Parganas district, Mamata targeting the BJP said, “We have to promote Bangla. When I go to Bihar, UP, Punjab, I speak their language there. If you live in West Bengal then you will have to speak Bengali. I will not tolerate criminals who live in Bengal and roam around on bikes.”
Facing flak for the ongoing impasse between the medical fraternity and the state government, TMC chief resorted to this linguistic chauvinism.
Pointing towards the BJP on the pretext of being the outsiders, Mamata declared that if one is in Bengal they must speak Bengali. She asserted she will not tolerate criminals who live in Bengal and roam around on their bikes and stated she wouldn’t allow West Bengal to turn into Gujarat.
Urging the people to fight against the forces that are trying to create to divide in the state of West Bengal, she gave a slogan: “Ladai hobe, ladai cholbe, ladai jeetbo (we are fighting, we will fight, we will win the fight). “I am not the one who is scared of death, death is scared of me,” she added.
West Bengal has turned into a hornet’s nest after doctors from various state-run medical colleges and hospitals resigned en masse in protest against the insensitivity shown by the state government towards the doctors who were attacked by mobs in West Bengal.
The crisis escalated after Banerjee accused the protesting doctors of being ‘outsiders’ and dubbed the entire matter a conspiracy by her political opponents.
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court, while hearing a PIL on doctors’ strike in the state, gave 7 days to West Bengal government to respond.
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The court further asked Baneerjee’s government to clarify what steps would they initiate to end the impasse. It also said the state will have to put an end to this and find a solution.