Jaipur: Agitating government doctors on Saturday night
called off their strike after the Rajasthan government took
initiative to end the 11-day-long stir over pay hike and time
bound promotions.
Dr Ajay Choudhary and Dr Nasreen Bharti, president and
general secretary of Akhil Rajasthan Rajya Sevarat Chikitsak
Sangh, announced to call off the strike late night after a
meeting with state Energy Minister Jitendra Singh at his
residence.
Bharti said all the government doctors will now resume
their duties.
The doctors decided to call off the strike after the
state government took initiative to end the deadlock by
lifting Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA)
and ordered release of all the jailed doctors.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot earlier held a high-level
meeting and decided to lift RESMA and ordered release of the
agitating doctors who were put behind bars under the Act.
Gehlot decided to set up a committee of five ministers to
review the cases lodged against the agitating doctors under
RESMA.
The panel will also take view on the action of suspension
and termination taken against the doctors by the government
during the strike, an official said.
After the government`s decision, a delegation of the
agitating doctors met the Energy Minister late at night and
held discussion over the issue. They later announced to call
off the strike around midnight.
The panel comprises of Medical and Health minister
Duru Miyan, Energy Minister Jitendra Singh, Industry Minister
Rajendra Pareek and MoS (medical) Rajkumar Sharma and MoS
(Home) Virendra Beniwal.
The in-service government doctors had gone on strike on
December 21, demanding pay hike and time-bound promotions. The
government had claimed that their genuine demands have already
been addressed and vested interest will not be tolerated.
After the imposition of RESMA, several agitating doctors
were arrested and over 60 doctors were suspended. The service
of two chief medical and health officers and 10 medical
officers were also terminated during the strike.
The Gehlot government tried to minimise the impact of the
strike by making alternate arrangements with the help of Army,
BSF, Railways and private doctors.
In the meantime, striking medicos said that they were
ready for dialogue with the government but the deadlock
continued for 11 days.
Later, the agitating doctors shifted their focus to RESMA
and demanded lifting of the Act and release of jailed doctors.
As their demand was fulfilled by Gehlot tonight, the medicos
called off their strike.
PTI
