About a hundred metres from Swasthya Bhaban, the headquarters of West Bengal's health department in Salt Lake, the protest ground of junior doctors has taken centre stage in state politics.
The walls in the area, covered in graffiti, scream for 'justice'. Slogans like 'Swasthya Bhaban safai koro' (clean up the health department) rend the air.
People from different walks of life teachers, technology employees, doctors, homemakers gather in solidarity.
A sense of irreverence hangs heavy.
On Saturday, the mood shifted dramatically when West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee made an unexpected visit to the protest site. She urged the doctors to return to work and asked for time to address their demands.
However, a later attempt at resolving the impasse failed over the junior doctors' demand to livestream or videograph the meeting proceedings. When they eventually agreed to accept a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting instead, the meeting was called off.
Junior doctors in West Bengal have been on strike for the past 36 days, protesting the alleged rape and murder of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. They are also demanding a clean-up of the state's health care system.
Despite a Supreme Court (SC) directive to return to work by 5 pm on September 10, the doctors have continued their strike.
Around 7,500 junior doctors across the state are on cease-work, which has severely affected health care services. Both government and private health care workers acknowledge the critical role junior doctors play in hospitals.
The state government and the Trinamool Congress have repeatedly highlighted the widespread disruption in services.
During a SC hearing on September 9, the Bengal government outlined the disruptions facing the health care system due to mass absentions by resident doctors across the state.
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