3000 junior doctors in Madhya Pradesh gives mass resignation after court says strike illegal

June 4: At a time when the doctors are hailed by the nation as Covid warriors engaged in saving lives during the pandemic, junior doctors in Madhya Pradesh had to take to the streets for getting their “legitimate demand fulfilled.” As many as 3,000 junior doctors working in six medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh have resigned after the Madhya Pradesh High Court termed their strike as illegal. The junior doctors have put forth their demands before the state government, including a hike in stipend and free treatment for them and their families if they contract the deadly coronavirus infection.

The Junior Doctors’ Association (JUDA) has been told to resume work within 24 hours by the MP High Court, terming the strike as illegal. JUDA has maintained that till their 6-point demands are not fulfilled by the government they will not return to work and are set to approach the Supreme Court, challenging the HC’s order. The Madhya Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (MPJDA) Secretary Ankita Tripathi  said, “The government is saying that junior doctors are blackmailing them which is not true. If we had to blackmail the government, why are there fewer patients now?”

MPJDA President Dr Arvind Meena claimed on May 6, the government authorities promised to fulfil their demands but nothing happened after that, forcing them to stop work. Dr Meena further said the state government has already cancelled their enrollment for the third year PG and therefore they wont be able to sit for examinations. Dr Meena said, “An attempt was made to mislead us by getting a petition filed in High Court. You can stop us from strike, but not from resigning.”

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq Ahmed and Justice Sujoy Paul said in case the striking doctors do not resume duties within the set time frame, the state government must take stern action against them. The High Court was hearing a petition against the strike filed by Jabalpur-based advocate Shailendra Singh.