PG doctors' protest: IMA threatens to protest on Friday

Expressing solidarity with the protesting post graduate students, the Indian Medical Association has given a two days ultimatum to the state government to arrest members of the pro Kannada group for barging into Minto Opthalmic Hospital last week. Should the government fail to do so, out patient departments of all hospitals across the State will remain shut on Friday.

In the incident that occurred on Saturday, an altercation took place between members of the pro Kannada organisation and a post graduate student over her, refusing to respond in Kannada to their demands of compensation for patients who had lost sight during a cataract camp at the hospital.

Post graduate students have been on a protest for four days now seeking better security measures and action against the activists who threatened to hold the student back if she did not apologise.

Doctors from various groups, including office bearers of the Indian Medical Association joined the protesting PG students who are staging a demonstration in front of the OPD department at Victoria Hospital on Tuesday.

Dr Srinivasa S, secretary, IMA, Karnataka branch said that the association would give the state government two days time to look into the demands of the students.

"We do not want to shut down services without giving them time. On Wednesday and Thursday we will wear black badges and have a symbolic protest. If the issue is not resolved, we will stop OPD services at all hospitals in the state," he said.

He added that at a time where the government has been allotting seats to students from the All India quota to various colleges, it is unfair for anyone to expect the students to learn the local language that soon. "Even our students are studying at medical colleges in other states. It is unfair to expect them speak the language immediately," he added.

Dr Srinivasa also said that the present legislation is a watered down one where bails are granted easily to anyone who commits a crime against doctors.