Cracks develop between IMA-MARD over withdrawal of stir

MUMBAI: While the Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced its withdrawal from the strike in the Bombay High Court without even waiting for its order, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) stated that it would continue with the protest through “constitutional, legal and democratic means” until its concerns were appropriately addressed

MUMBAI: While the Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced its withdrawal from the strike in the Bombay High Court without even waiting for its order, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) stated that it would continue with the protest through “constitutional, legal and democratic means” until its concerns were appropriately addressed. Post the court hearing, a persistent MARD went ahead to meet the medical education department officials and even the chief minister, hoping to find a way out.

Making their displeasure clear, Central MARD representatives said they had “no alternative but to comply with the HC’s directions”. “The decision has been taken exclusively out of respect for the Hon’ble High Court and should not be interpreted as a dilution of our stand or demands,” they said. With this, resident doctors will resume services in the 35 medical college-attached government hospitals across the state.

The HC suo motu intervention came as a rude shock for the resident doctors, who had chalked out a plan to intensify the indefinite stir. “We got to know at 12.15 pm about the hearing at 1 pm. It was too short a period to get counsel or even brief one at that point of time,” said Dr Shinde, who chose to appear in person for MARD at the hearing.

“The IMA are private doctors and are not bothered by the pay factor,” said a MARD source. “It was wrong of them to accept such terms on our behalf without even discussing this with us. Although we are government staff and could face the brunt of government action, we stayed strong during this stir. The IMA did not even bother to implement the closure of private services properly.”

To this, an IMA representative countered: “We were protesting at Azad Maidan when we got intimation at 12.40 pm to appear for the hearing at 1 pm. But we managed to get a counsel at the court. MARD comprises students and hence they failed to get a lawyer at such short notice. But they are our junior doctors and we continue to have good relations with them.” Significantly, the IMA and the MARD teams chose to address the media separately after the court hearing.