The Hindu : National : J&K government suspends 26 striking doctors

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J&K government suspends 26 striking doctors

Shujaat Bukhari

Doctors breached agreement: Minister
Government insensitive to our plight: doctors

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has suspended 26 doctors in a bid to break their 18-day long strike, demanding, among other things, removal of pay anomalies; 24 others have been shifted to far-flung areas and the rest asked to report for duty within 24 hours.

The government also announced fresh appointments in place of over 7,000 doctors and asked new candidates to appear for walk-in-interviews on Monday.

The suspension orders against leaders of the Doctors Joint Action Committee (DJAC) were taken following the failure of three rounds of talks. The high level committee constituted by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was headed by Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather. Mr. Rather accused the doctors of breaching an agreement reached in August.

While the government has deployed police contingents around the associated hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu, it remains to be seen whether the faculty of the Srinagar and Jammu Medical College will support the strike.

Meanwhile, the DJAC denounced the government’s move and said it was planning mass resignation. “We know the government is insensitive to our plight and resorting to highhandedness, which we will not accept” DJAC spokesperson Merajuddin told The Hindu.

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