KCR adamant, junior doctors defiant

Striking medicos say no calling off strike

Hyderabad: The junior doctors on Tuesday decided to continue with their strike despite the hardening stance of the Telangana government on the one side and the High Court passing strictures on them on Monday on the other. The Junior Doctors’ Association (JUDA) claims that it will call off the strike only if Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao meets the striking medicos and gives them assurance on their demands. The government, on the other hand, claims that it had accepted all the demands of the JUDA except the provision of one year compulsory work in rural areas. On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister T Rajaiah said in Warangal that there would be no further talks with junior doctors and the government was getting ready to debar them from services for six months. Official sources also said that the Chief Minister was unlikely to grant audience to the striking junior doctors.

A few Telangana Congress leaders expressed solidarity with the junior doctors at a relay fast and silent protest organised by them at the Dharna Chowk near Indira Park on Tuesday. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) spokespersons Mallu Ravi and Konagala Mahesh visited the dharna site and demanded Chief Minister KCR to act “like a father figure” in resolving the problems of the striking junior doctors. Talking to The Hans India, president of TJUDA Dr G Srinivas said the strike would continue and alleged that Rajaiah was trying to sidetrack the issue by alleging that some invisible forces were behind the strike. Srinivas said they would soon organise a blood donation camp as part of the ongoing protest demanding repeal of GO 107, which makes one-year rural service mandatory for medical graduates.