The West Bengal government on Monday invited protesting junior doctors for the “fifth and final time” for talks with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

For over a month, the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front has been leading protests against the rape and murder of their colleague at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The 31-year-old trainee doctor was found dead at the hospital on August 9.

The doctors’ agitation has disrupted medical services at state-run hospitals in West Bengal. On September 9, the Supreme Court warned the doctors that they would face disciplinary action from the state government if they did not end their strike and resume work by 5 pm the next day.

On Monday, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant said in an email to the protestors that it is their “bounden duty, as law-abiding citizens, to follow and adhere to the apex court’s directive”.

He invited a delegation of protesting medics for a meeting with the chief minister at her residence in Kolkata.

“We trust that good sense will prevail, and as mutually agreed and as per your statement to the media day before – there will be no live streaming or videography of the meeting, given that the matter is sub judice in the highest court of the country,” wrote Pant. “Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by both parties.”

The doctors are seeking the resignation of the Kolkata police commissioner and senior state health department officials. The group has also demanded an end to the “threat culture” in West Bengal’s medical centres.

They have also demanded disciplinary proceedings against Sandip Ghosh, the principal of the institute at the time of the rape and murder, and other persons, under the 1971 West Bengal Services Classification, Control and Appeal Rules.

The rules provide for disciplinary action against government employees for misconduct.

On September 10, the protestors rejected an initial offer from the state government for talks, objecting to an invitation that sought to restrict the number of representatives who could meet Banerjee.

After this, Pant again invited the junior doctors for talks with Banerjee on September 11.

The chief secretary’s second email included an invitation to a delegation of 12 to 15 doctors. In response, the protesting doctors demanded that a 30-member delegation be allowed to participate.

On Thursday, Pant sent them a third invitation but the meeting did not take place due to an impasse on the issue of live streaming.

The doctors demanded that the meeting be recorded on video and a copy of the footage be given to them. The state government rejected the demand.

A meeting could also not be held on Saturday for the same reason.

Banerjee said that footage of the meeting could be shared only if permitted by the Supreme Court.

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