NEW DELHI: Rejecting the government’s appeal of calling off their strike, resident doctors of Delhi hopistals on Tuesday said they will continue their protest against the delay in the NEET PG counseling process.
Despite a meeting with Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the resident doctors’ associations from all government hospitals of the capital said they are not satisfied and will continue demanding what is their right.
During the meeting with the resident doctors’ associations, the minister expressed regret over Monday’s manhandling of doctors by police when they were trying to take out a march towards Supreme Court.
However, the minister said that since the matter is pending in Supreme Court and is set to be heard on January 6, he cannot do much but give all the required documents to the court before the fixed date.
According to sources, while some of the resident doctors were ready to call off the strike, a majority of them said it should not be called off, considering the police actions against them.
Later, in unison, the doctors decided to continue with the strike. On Wednesday, resident doctors will not work and OPD and emergency services will be affected.
The doctors will take out marched in the premises of their hospitals.
“Our phones were snatched, female doctors were manhandled by male cops, apparently a case has been registered against us for rioting, causing obstruction in the duty of police. How can we call off the strike when instead of apologising to us, a case has been filed against us?” said a doctor.
More than 3,000 doctors gathered in-front of the emergency department of Safdarjung Hospital and raised slogans demanding justice. While doctors protested, patients bore the brunt of the strike.
Hundreds of surgeries were cancelled, elective surgeries which were given dates of Tuesday had to be postponed.