E-Paper
Doctors strike called off in Rajasthan
Doctors will join duty from Thursday across the state.
After 12 days, striking doctors called off their strike on Wednesday late in the evening after a seven-hour long marathon meeting with the ministers.
Doctors will join duty from Thursday across the state.
All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association (ARISDA) president Dr Ajay Choudhary said that the government has accepted all their demands and the strike has been called off.
He said the government will form a sub-cabinet committee to look into the anomalies in Dynamic Accelerated Career Promotion.
Over the main demand of cancelling the transfer order of the doctors, the government has transferred Dr Ajay Choudhary to CMHO Sikar, who had been earlier transferred to Hindaun City in Karauli district.
He said that the government has agreed to adjust the period of mass leave and strike in privilege leaves, all cases registered under Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) 1970 and judicial cases will be withdrawn along with all departmental and administrative action against the doctors will be put to an end.
Dr Choudhary said all agreement made on November 12, 2017 will be implemented. The major issue of removing a Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer from the health department has also been accepted. The government will transfer him out of the health department.
PWD minister Yoonus Khan, cooperative minister Ajay Kilak and BJP president Ashok Parnami played a major role in breaking the deadlock. Although, health minister Kali Charan Saraf and minister of state for health Banshidhar Bajwa were also present.
The demands of resident doctors were also accepted and they too called off their strike.
After the first round of talks, there was a lunch break around 3pm. Choudhary said, “The government has suggested a few solutions, which we will discuss, and proceed with the second round of talks.” Till 6.30pm, the draft agreement was revised for five times, and the fifth one was considered as the final.
The in-service doctors, who went on strike on November 6, ended it on November 12 after the government held talks with them and accepted most of their demands. But irked by transfer of 12 of their colleagues on November 28, the doctors announced to go on mass leave from December 18.
The government imposed Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act 1970 and started arresting some doctors from December 15. The doctors then went on strike from December 16, paralysing health services in the state.
The Rajasthan high court directed the state government on Monday to deal with the striking doctors with a firm hand, and arrest them if they do not join duty.
