Deadlock continues as MBBS students firm on demands
BOND POLICY ROW
PROTEST ENTERS 26TH DAY
ROHTAK: The protest by the MBBS students at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here against the Haryana government’s bond policy continued for the 25th consecutive day on Friday, hampering medical services, even as a delegation of the protesters met senior state government officials over the issue.
As many as 10 MBBS students have been sitting on hunger strike since Thursday. The protesters said that more students will join the hunger strike if the government fails to resolve their demands. The students have been demanding rollback of the contentious policy.
The students also received support from nursing staff (teaching and non-teaching) along with resident doctors’ association.
The delegation met senior officials of state government, including additional chief secretary, health department, G Anupama. The students were told that the bond policy was brought to bring more doctors in government sector.
“This policy will bring more doctors under the aegis of government sector and shortage of doctors at government hospitals will be fulfilled. The students have been asked to give in writing the points that need to be rectified. Moreover, the MBBS students have been asked to call off the strike as patients are suffering,” said a government spokesman.
The out-patient department and elective surgeries remained close for the second straight day on Friday and the patients went back without any treatment.
The PGIMS director, in a letter, has asked all the protesting MBBS students to call off their strike, or they should vacate the hostels within 24 hours.
The letter also stated that FIR registered against the students who were involved in unlawful activities on November 4 ahead of the chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s visit to the institute will not be withdrawn and necessary legal action will be taken against them.
KCGMCH MBBS students start hunger strike KARNAL: Intensifying their ongoing agitation against the bond policy, seven MBBS students of Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMCH) on Friday started hunger strike outside the OPD block of the hospital.
The sloganeering students accused the state government of turning a blind eye to their demands.
The protesting students said that the government should give job guarantees instead of imposing the unjustified bond policy, in which a student has to pay nearly ₹ 40 lakh (₹ 10 lakh per year) as a bond.