HYDERABAD: The Government has toughened its stand on the striking junior doctors and ruled out holding talks with them till they called off their agitation. The all-party meeting slated for April 16 too would not take place now.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Health Minister K. Rosaiah said the junior doctors had gone back on their word and surprisingly wanted to continue the strike and hence the Government felt there was no point in holding further meetings. There would be no initiative from the Government's side. Even otherwise, the issue was before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Court directions

On the High Court's directions to the Government, he said they would be implemented in toto and it would be ensured that patients were not put to inconvenience. The Government had already submitted a detailed report on how it was tackling the strike and making alternative arrangements.

Asked if the Government planned to requisition the services of the military and private doctors, as suggested by the court, he said it would abide by whatever order was given by it.

The junior doctors were saying one thing to the court and doing quite another on the field, Mr Rosaiah said. He said he was personally against doctors going on strike, as it was a "pious service-oriented profession." The survival of patients depended on them.

`Decision not unilateral'

He reiterated that the Government was not in a position to take action against the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar of the Health University. As for the Government Order 19, it was issued after consulting all political parties and others concerned. "It was not a unilateral decision." When reminded how Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy had supported the junior doctors as Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Rosaiah said the issues raised by them were different.

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