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"BJP will take up JIPMER crisis at the national level"

Staff Reporter

Party national executive member interacts with employees

PUDUCHERRY: The Bharatiya Janata Party will take up the crisis in the Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research at the national level, according to party national executive member Lalitha Kumaramangalam.

After interacting with employees here, she told The Hindu that she would brief the national leadership of the party about the "gravity of the situation".

(JIPMER employees have been on an indefinite strike for the last 18 days against the Union Cabinet decision to grant autonomy.)

A hospital that provided free health service to thousands of people everyday continued to be paralysed for 18 days and was a serious issue, she said.

She further said the national leadership of the party was so far not aware of the issue. "I understood the seriousness after interacting with the employees and the party would give all support to the employees," she said.

Asked whether the party would oppose the bill when it was presented in the parliament, she said, " The winter session of the parliament is far away and a decision would be taken before that."

She added that national leaders of the party would soon visit the employees.

Final warning

Meanwhile, JIPMER director K.S.V.K. Subba Rao has issued a final warning to the employees to join duty.

In a press release, he said a public interest notice had already been issued in this regard and any violation would be dealt with seriously.

He claimed that attendance on Monday had been hundred per cent as far as Group A and Group B staff were concerned. He further claimed that all out patient units and special clinics were functioning normally.

Rally taken out

In the meantime, hundreds of striking employees and members of political parties who have called for Tuesday's bandh to protest the autonomy move took out a rally in the evening.

Members of political parties in favour of the autonomy could also be seen on streets urging shop owners, through distribution of pamphlets, to defy the bandh and to function as usual on Tuesday.

Addressing a joint press meet in the evening, Collector G. Theva Neethi Dhas and Additional Senior Superintendent of Police B. Srikanth said the administration had taken all steps to prevent any untoward incident.

Mr. Srikanth said around 1,000 policemen would be deployed to maintain peace. "Any attempt to intimidate people would be firmly dealt with, including immediate arrest, he said." The police have taken control of 6 auditoriums to keep those detained, he added. The Collector said action would be taken against State Government employees if they absented from duty on the bandh day.

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