E-Paper
North-South divide at play in PGI doctor polls
This time, two panels have been formed. While one panel has 11 out of 12 candidates from North, the nominee for the presidential post of second panel has been getting calls to not to contest for the post, stating that he is from South.
The North– South divide has been impacting the elections of Association of Resident Doctors, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), scheduled on June 7.
This time, two panels have been formed. While one panel has 11 out of 12 candidates from North, the nominee for the presidential post of second panel has been getting calls to not to contest for the post, stating that he is from South.
One such call, where a consultant from anesthesia department is trying to convince a South Indian doctor that he should rethink his decision of contesting for the post of president, has been making rounds on WhatsApp.
Over 50% of the doctors at the institute are from South India.
The doctor contesting for the post of president said, “I had been working to form a panel since April and I had finally formed one with 12 doctors, but a night ahead of the last day of filing nominations which was May 26, four doctors from my panel were convinced to leave the group and form another panel.”
“The second panel has 12 doctors, out of which 11 are from North India, where as one is from South. The doctor had filled a withdrawal but was forcefully stopped to stay back,” said the doctor, showing the withdrawal form.
“I am getting calls daily. I am being told not to contest as few consultants do not want a doctor from South to represent the resident doctors’ association,” he said.
“I have not faced such discrimination. Doctors work amicably irrespective of the regions we belong to, but there are few who are trying create a division here,” he said.
On Thursday, there was a heated discussion on the in-house WhatsApp groups, where in majority of resident doctors criticised others and asked them to not to divide the PGIMER.
