Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

5,000 students suspended, doctors also face action

By Feroze Ahmed

CHENNAI MAY 17. Declaring yesterday's marathon talks with the Government a failure, both the agitating students and doctors today said their protest against allowing private medical colleges would continue. The State responded by slapping suspension orders on over 5,000 medical and dental college students and was planning tougher measures against the doctors.

After handing over a fresh resolution to Health department officials, the students said the talks failed as their core demands — a ban on new private medical colleges and withdrawal of the order facilitating their entry — were not discussed.

The Director of Medical Education, C. Ravindranath, later said the 5,000 odd students in government colleges were being suspended. Of them, about 1,200 would not be allowed to sit for June examinations, he added. The suspension orders were being issued for breach of contract, which the students and parents signed during admission stating that they would not go on strike. Those wanting to withdraw from the strike would have to report to their respective deans with their parents and give a written declaration, the DME said.

The Government also decided to carry out its threat against house surgeons. Their completion certificates would now mention their participation in the strike and the period of absence - "a serious black mark on a very important document," Dr. Ravindranath said. Service postgraduates would lose their seniority as their participation in the strike would be treated as break in service, and non-service postgraduate students would face proceedings from Monday if they did not withdraw from the strike, the DME said.

`Indefinite strike

plan stays'

The students had been allowed time until May 15 to give up their protest or face disciplinary action. The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association, after a state executive committee meeting, said the Government was being vindictive and declared that they would go on an indefinite strike from May 21, as announced, if the issues were not resolved. They would also go on a relay fast.

Besides the private medical colleges issue, the TNDGA has demanded withdrawal of all show- cause notices and transfer orders slapped on them after the May 14 token strike, and revocation of action against service postgraduate students. "The State is being vindictive. It is not fair to crush a strike like this," the TNGDA president, K.Prakasam, who was also transferred, said.

He added that they were ready for talks with the government.

In a climbdown from their stance against private institutions, Dr. Prakasam said, "We are not against private colleges, but only against their commercialisation."

"We agree that the Government has not given permission for private colleges till now, though the Medical Council of India has. We are ready to join hands with the State to take up the issue with the Centre. And if the Government convinces us about its position on the controversial GO 211, we will withdraw the strike."

The association also distanced itself from the agitating students, saying the two sides were together only on the private colleges issue. But the doctors said they would have gladly given up their protest if the talks with the students had succeeded.

Meanwhile, the recruitment of temporary doctors Statewide was on in full swing to make up for the absence of doctors in case of a total strike, the Director of Medical Services, M.N.Raman, said. Private practitioners and healthcare centres had been requested to render their services and senior civil surgeons urged not to join the agitation, he added.

The TNGDA condemned the hiring of temporary doctors. The experience and efficiency of about 8,500 doctors with over 15 years of experience could not be replaced by employing recruits on daily wages, the association said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• `Let autonomous body replace PWD'
• 5,000 students suspended, doctors also face action
• Brace up for competition, Governor tells tea growers
• Chidambaram not serious about merger
• Defer judicial magistrate appointments: Cong.
• Andaman support for CM stand against Central notification
• HS re-totalling applications to be issued from tomorrow
• Top marks, still no rank
• Mayoorini murder accused are school toppers
• Record growth in BSNL teledensity in Tamil Nadu
• UNESCO team to visit historic site

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu