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“Gandhigiri” pays off once again

SHOWING THE WAY: Actors Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi providing the cue for “Gandhigiri” in the film “Lage Raho Munnabhai”

JAIPUR: Peaceful protests, including “Gandhigiri”, paid off finally for a group of Rajasthan Government employees hired on contract when the authorities on Thursday accepted their demands for absorption as regular staff.

After 74 days of dharna in front of the Sawai Man Singh Medical College here, the Government succumbed to their “loving methods” of coercion and announced the formation of Gramin Swasthya Sewa (Rural Health Services) to accommodate all 4,000-plus of them.

“I appreciate their grit as well as the way in which they conducted themselves during the long period of protest,” said Rajasthan Health Minister Digambher Singh, who led the talks, talking to journalists. “It was a new experience with striking employees. They sent me flowers almost on a regular basis,” said the Minister, himself a medical doctor.

“It took a while, but finally Gandhigiri worked,” said Robin Singh, leader of the joint action committee of the four unions of doctors, nurses, compounders, vaidyas and ayurveda nurses. The motley crowd of health personnel, belonging to both Western and Indian medicines, applying the time-tested Gandhian ways had been attracting considerable public attention all these days. The protests included daily “aarti” of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in front of a picture of hers.

“We got all-round support,” said Vaidya Rangnath Sharma about the public response to their agitation.

Dr. Digambher Singh said the proposal to start a separate Rural Health Services had been already discussed in the Rajasthan Assembly.

It is mooted to provide better health services in the rural areas.

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