Amid the protest, the representatives of Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) is likely to meet Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at Nirman Bhavan in Delhi today over their demand to expedite NEET-PG counselling, The representatives will also seek an apology for alleged police brutality during Monday’s protest march.
Igniting doctors protest after police lathi charge on protesting doctors on Monday evening. As a result, the medical fraternity of capital including Indian Medical Association, Delhi Medical Association and FORDA come down heavily on the administration paralyzing the medical services of capital.
“We have planned to go on a strike from Wednesday, affecting the OPD and emergency services of our hospital,” said Resident doctors of AIIMS.
Resident doctors from Delhi’s major government hospitals, protesting repeated delays in NEET-PG counselling, Monday alleged that they were beaten, dragged and detained by the police during their march to the Supreme Court.
In response, Delhi Police registered an FIR under sections of rioting, causing obstruction in duty and damaging public property against the doctors. The FIR was lodged at IP Estate police station after a complaint was filed by a police personnel.
On the eleventh day of complete withdrawal from all routine and emergency services, the doctors decided to return their white coats to authorities as their demands were not being heard.
The delays in counselling have been due to a clutch of cases pending in the Supreme Court over the recently introduced quota for the economically weaker sections. Around 50 doctors, including the president of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) that is leading the strike, were detained near ITO.
“There is no respect left for Covid warriors. We are shocked and in disbelief at what happened today. Both male and female doctors were dragged on the road. Several people were injured, some had lacerations from being dragged, others got hit against the barricades, and still other received injuries to their hand when the bus door was closed on it,” alleged Dr Anuj Aggarwal, general secretary of the resident doctors’ association of Safdarjung hospital where FORDA president Dr Manish Kumar also works. Dr Sunil Duchania, vice-president, FORDA, said that all the persons were later released.
Additional DCP (Central district) Rohit Meena said, “They came to protest and tried to stop the traffic movement. We tried to stop them and they then started marching towards the Supreme Court. We again stopped them after discussing with them. Seven police personnel received minor injuries and they have damaged two buses as well. We are taking legal opinion before lodging any FIR against them.”
After the incident, doctors from across the city and other states who had joined the protest came together at Safdarjung hospital on Monday evening and burnt an effigy of a PPE-clad doctor. The doctors then decided to march to the health minister’s residence at night.
The doctors began their protest exactly one month ago with a withdrawal from out-patient clinics; it was slowly escalated to withdrawal from all work by resident doctors who are the backbone of services at medical college hospitals.
Police interact with doctors protesting outside Maulana Azad Medical College over postponement of National Eligibility Entrance Test postgraduate (NEET PG) counselling 2021.