West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File | Photo Credit: PTI Amidst raging protests over the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday (September 9, 2024) urged the people to call off protests and return to Durga Puja festivities and appealed to protesting doctors to resume work.“If there are protests every day, people get disturbed at night. One month has passed, I will appeal to people to return to (Durga) Puja festivities,” she said. Thousands of people have been out in the streets protesting against rape and murder and demanding safety for women at their workplace. Protesters have called for ‘Reclaim the Night’ on two occasions (August 14 and September 8) in the past one month since the body of the doctor was found on August 9.Kolkata rape-murder case LIVE updates: Supreme Court asks protesting doctors to resume work by 5 p.m. on Sept. 10The Chief Minister also said that she had not offered any money to the family of the victim and said that lies are being spread in this regard. Ms. Banerjee said that she had told the family if they want any memorial for their daughter the State government will help. The Chief Minister said that compensation was one of the demands of residential doctors. Parents of the victim have alleged that police has offered money even when the body of their daughter was not cremated. “What they want, justice or in the name of justice they want the issue to remain hanging,” she said.The Chief Minister also added that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal had offered to resign from the post. She said that an expert person in law and order who is aware of Durga Puja festivities should be in charge. The protesting doctors have been demanding resignation of Commissioner of Kolkata Police over the rape and murder.The Chief Minister also appealed to the protesting resident doctors to return to work and expressed hope that after the Supreme Court order, the doctors will resume duty. The Supreme Court had urged the protesting resident doctor to join duty by Tuesday (September 10, 2024) 5 p.m. and assured that no action will be taken against them if they resume work.Ms. Banerjee said that 23 persons have lost their lives because of the strike. According to West Bengal Health Secretary N.S. Nigam about seven lakh patients have not received treatment at outdoor patients department and 70,000 have been denied services at in patient department. Resident doctors have been on a strike in protests against the gruesome crime at R.G. Kar MCH and have been demanding safety and security at workplace. According to Mr. Nigam about 7,000 surgeries has been postponed and 1,500 emergency cardiovascular interventions. Published – September 09, 2024 02:54 pm IST