Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Medicos suspend agitation in south

MADURAI: Students of medical colleges in the southern districts suspended their 16-day-long agitation in protest against the move to extend the duration of MBBS course, by including compulsory rural service, on Tuesday.

They decided to return to classes following the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi’s appeal.

Students of Tirunelveli Medical College said that they had “temporarily withheld” the agitation.

Ten medicos, who commenced a fast unto death on Monday, also withdrew the agitation in the afternoon.

The chairman of the TVMC Students’ Union, Ilaiyaraja, told The Hindu that their representatives held talks with the Minister for Public Health, M.R.K. Panneerselvam, “who assured the students that the Chief Minister would ensure an amicable solution to this problem by holding a discussion with the Union Health Minister, if necessary.”

“Hence, we have decided to suspend our protest for the time being and not to give up the agitation permanently,” he said. The Tamil Nadu chapter of All India Medical Students Council was in touch with medicos of other States to finalise the strategies to be followed in case of a revival of protest, he added.

Students of Theni Government Medical College Hospital attended classes since morning. Medicos of Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital at Asaripallam also withdrew their agitation. Five students of the college observed fast in the morning. Members of the Madurai unit of the Tamil Nadu Medical Students’ Association and House Surgeons’ Association called off their indefinite strike and fast unto death “temporarily.”

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