The Hindu : 50 junior doctors held, freed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 13, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

50 junior doctors held, freed

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN.12. The Panjagutta police on Monday arrested 50 junior doctors -- 34 at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences and 16 at Taj Krishna -- after they forced their way into NIMS where a function was on in the presence of the Union Health Minister, Sushma Swaraj, the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and several Ministers.

According to the police, 16 medicos squatted inside the hotel and raised slogans. They wanted to meet the Union Minister and present a memorandum on their strike which entered the 32nd day on Monday. The police stated that Mrs. Swaraj was present in the hotel.

The arrested junior doctors were later released on bail around 8 p.m., the police said.

While condemning the arrest and the State Government's attitude towards the strike, the Joint Action Committee of Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors' Association said it had presented a memorandum to the Union Health Minister.

In a statement, the committee said the Minister had expressed surprise that several private medical and dental colleges were permitted by the Government. She was surprise at the approval given to these institutions without intimating the Central Government and without required permission. She assured junior doctors of discussing their issues with the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabad City Committee of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) criticised the arrest of junior doctors who launched hunger strike on Sunday. S. Narasimha Reddy, its president, and J. Venkatesh, general secretary, in a statement demanded release of the arrested doctors.

In a related development, representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Aided Degree College Lecturers' Association expressed their solidarity with the junior doctors' agitation by visiting the hunger strike camp at Osmania Medical College.

A.Venkateshwarlu, vice-president, and M. Yadagiri, general secretary, who visited the camp along with 100 members of the association, condemned the Government's attitude. They urged the Government to hold discussions and settle the demands at the earliest without precipitating the issue.

Meanwhile, members of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi State youth committee taged a dharna at the Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishat asking the Government to end the junior doctors' strike by conceding their demands.

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