The doctors' stir that has hit health services in several parts of Uttar Pradesh today intensified with 200 medicos in Agra joining the resignation spree to protest the attack on their colleagues in Kanpur.
As the protest entered the fifth day, the IMA gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the Akhilesh Yadav government to fulfil its demands-- arrest of SP MLA Irfan Solanki allegedly involved in the Friday clash, action against SSP Yashashvi Yadav and withdrawal of charges against 24 junior doctors, who were granted bail last night but refused to come out of jail.
The issue has also taken a political dimension with Opposition BJP and Aam Aadmi Party extending support to the stir, that has also affected Lucknow, Varanasi, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, among other areas.
A day after 300 medical faculty of GSV medical college resigned, around 200 junior doctors of Agra Medical College tendered their resignation to Uttar Pradesh government, ignoring an appeal made by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to call off the stir.
The protest resonated in Delhi also with resident doctors of prestigious AIIMS sporting black badges and holding a candlelight vigil to express solidarity with the striking doctors.
"The strike of junior doctors will continue till the three demands of the Kanpur doctors were met," said vice president of Indian Medical Association's UP unit and president of Agra unit Dr Sudhir Dhakre.
The agitating doctors, led by IMA, said they were trying to meet the President and the Prime Minister in New Delhi to apprise him of the situation. They have also sought time to meet Governor B L Joshi and the Chief Minister over the issue.
Meanwhile, the 24 junior doctors who were granted bail last night have refused to come out of the jail till the three demands are met.
Medical services were severely affected in several parts of Uttar Pradesh causing major inconvenience to patients.
Dhakre said the IMA has given a 48-hour deadline to Uttar Pradesh government to meet the doctors' demands, otherwise the strike would take an pan India dimension.