Twenty injured as cops wield baton on doctors protesting peacefully for their rights

AMRITSAR, AUGUST 21

Twenty junior doctors were injured when contingents of the Punjab police wielded the baton on them to disperse them while they were protesting against the state government’s failure to augment their pay in keeping with the state’s Fifth Pay Commission. The doctors, including mainly girls were holding the protest outside the Guru Nanak Hospital (GNH) here.

Four of the protesting doctors were rounded up but were released later. A police team, led by DSP Civil Lines Naresh Sharma bashed up the doctors, who were peacefully protesting under the aegis of Junior Doctors Association (JDA). The lathi charge was held in the presence of SDM-II Paramjit Singh as well as the Medical College Principal Dr Jagdish Gargi and GNH Medical Superintendent Dr RPS Boparai and the doctors alleged their role in calling the police force.

According to the officials the protesting doctors locked the OPD, hampering the medical services while a large number of patients were waiting outside for treatment, which forced them to call the police and take the extreme step.

The doctors in question said that they had warned before hand that they would be striking work, but the cops had failed to chalk out any strategy to deal with the protest. JDA President Vishal Garg said that the doctors were undaunted and planned to give a befitting reply to the hospital administration.

Garg said the junior doctors were holding a peaceful protest, when the cops were called to disrupt the strike. The protestors alleged that the DSP was drunk. However, DSP Naresh Sharma said that this was not true. “I am a diabetic and my condition does not allow me to consume alcohol. These are mere allegations intended at defaming me,” he said. Deputy Commissioner KS Pannu said that there was no other option available but to wield the baton on the doctors as they had blocked the OPD services.

He maintained that last month too the JDA had held a three-day strike following which Minister of Medical Education and Research Tikshan Sood assured them that their demands will be looked into. “However, the assurances given by him never fructified,” Garg said. He added that today they were holding a peaceful rally outside the OPD when the police used force to crush the agitation.

The JDA has sent telegrams to Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal seeking a judicial probe into the matter. Meanwhile, the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association (PSMDTA) too has condemned the lathicharge on the protesting doctors.