Call off stir or face action,HC tells striking jr docs

Hyderabad,Nov 17: Even as the Junior Doctors have intensified their agitation, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday warned them of serious action if they do not call off forthwith their week-long stir.The court recommended to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to cancel the certificates of the striking doctors if they do not resume duties immediately.The Junior Doctors have been on a warpath for the past one week demanding considerable hike in their stipend. Though the State Government has offered to increase their stipend and held discussions in a bid to make them resume their duties,the striking doctors were unrelenting and in fact, intensified their agitation demanding a far better hike in the monthly remuneration.

They have earlier decided to boycott the emergency services too but reviewed their decision later “in the interest of the patients.”The High Court on Monday appealed to them to the agitating doctors to resume their duties immediately as the patients are put to a lot of inconvenience following their strike. However,the However However,they did not honour the court appeal and intensified their agitation on Tuesday.The High Court thus took serious view of the strike and on Tuesday warned the agitating doctors of serious action if they do not call off their stir immediately. The court asked the Medical Council of India (MCI) to interfere and cancel the degree certificates of the doctors if they do not relent.

“You have no right to strike the work when it greatly inconveniences the public and you should call off the agitation immediately or face action,” the court told the doctors and adjourned the case to Wednesday for further hearing.Meanwhile, the condition of four Junior Doctors who are on an indefinite hunger strike to press for their demands is stated to be serious. But the agitating doctors made it clear on Tuesday that they would not call off their strike till their “genuine” demands are met.