Doctors stopped at Delhi hospital as NEET counseling protest escalates
Resident doctors in Delhi had another standoff with the police on Tuesday after they were stopped from marching to the Supreme Court. Police officials shut all gates at Safdarjung Hospital to prevent the protesters from leaving. This comes a day after a police crackdown on protesting doctors in the national capital amid protests over the delay in NEET-PG 2021 counseling.
Why does it matter?
Doctors' bodies have threatened a nationwide shutdown at a time when COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Delhi and several other states. There are also concerns over the spread of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus. Moreover, protesting doctors allege they are overworked and operating at a much lesser capacity due to the long delay in counseling for a new batch of doctors.
Doctors call for nationwide strike
The Federation of All India Medical Association has urged doctors across the country to withdraw from providing healthcare services starting at 8 am on December 29. FAIMA said the medical fraternity stands "absolutely shocked at the sheer display of unprovoked brute force by Delhi Police on our colleagues." "We remind the authorities that FAIMA and its associated RDAs had shown great restraint till now."
You can read the full letter here
Police detained doctors, filed cases
On Monday, protesting doctors in Delhi were marching toward the residence of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. But Delhi Police officials allegedly manhandled some of them and detained many at the Sarojini Nagar Police Station. The police also filed cases against the protesting doctors. Meanwhile, some 5,000 to 6,000 resident doctors in the city had boycotted work on Monday, including COVID-19 duties, reports said.
Police denies allegations
The police, on the other hand, denied accusations of using excessive force or abusing the protesting doctors. Officials of the force, however, added that 12 protesters were detained and later released.
