"We are eagerly waiting to start our duty, but from the Chief Minister's side there is no such honest initiative to find a solution (of the ongoing problem)," news agency PTI quoted a spokesperson of the joint forum of junior doctors.

Protesting doctors turned down an invite for a closed-door meeting with Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat on Saturday and instead asked her to visit the NRS Medical College and Hospital to hold talks and resolve the impasse.

At a press conference held after the doctors refused her invitation, Ms Banerjee once again asked the doctors to return to work, assuring them that her government would not invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

"We have the laws, but we do not want to use them.... We are not going to take any stringent action against any of the agitating junior doctors and hamper their career," Ms Banerjee said.

The protest is set to continue for a sixth day, paralysing medical services in the state. Protesters have set six conditions to end their stir, including an unconditional apology from Ms Banerjee for remarks against the agitation and action against those who assaulted their colleague.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Association of Surgeons of India strongly condemned the attack on the junior doctor and expressed solidarity with the medical fraternity in Bengal. The association also urged PM Modi to arrest all involved in the attack and provide adequate protection to doctors and hospital staff.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan wrote a letter to all states, asking them to consider enacting specific legislation for protecting doctors and medical professionals from any form of violence. The minister had blamed the state government for the escalating doctors' strike.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched a four-day nationwide protest on Friday and called for a nationwide strike on Monday. In Delhi, the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Bengal government to end the stalemate.

The Kolkata Citizens Forum has requested the striking doctors to ensure treatment of serious injuries, particularly in children, women and the elderly. The Forum, which is set to take out a rally on Sunday, also supported the call for strict action against those who harass or assault doctors.