The streets of Kolkata remain tense as protests over the recent rape-murder case continue to escalate. The outrage, which has gripped the city for days, was further fueled today as the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government rejected preconditions set by doctors for discussions on the matter.

In response to junior doctors' demands for a live broadcast and the attendance of chief minister Mamata Banerjee as prerequisites for talks to end the month-long "cease work" protest over the suspected rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, the West Bengal government on Wednesday declined their requests.

Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya stated that the government was open to having discussions on the 33rd day of protests, during which doctors staged a sit-in outside Swasthya Bhawan in Kolkata for a second day. However, she also alluded to the possibility that "political forces" were behind the protests.

According to news agency PTI, the medics immediately denied these allegations, calling them baseless, and pledged to keep up their protests until their requests were fulfilled. The minister urged the doctors to obey the decision of the Supreme Court and go back to their jobs, but she refrained from discussing whether the government would impose penalties on those who disobeyed the court's order.

With thousands of junior doctors from all over West Bengal continuing their spectacular sit-in protest, the stretch of land in front of the West Bengal health department headquarters, Swasthya Bhavan, became a sea of humanity and a lively, boisterous focus of dissent.

As the standoff continues, the situation in Kolkata remains volatile. The refusal to engage with the doctors under their terms has led to an impasse, with no resolution in sight. The protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met, setting the stage for further confrontations in the days ahead.