Health services and the functioning of hospitals have been hit across India as a large section of Resident Doctors are abstaining from work to protest against the continued delay in NEET-PG counselling.
Patient care remained affected at three Centre-run facilities -- Safdarjung, RML and Lady Hardinge hospitals -- and some of the Delhi government-run hospitals.
The protests that were going on for months took an ugly turn on Monday in Delhi, where a group of doctors was allegedly beaten up by the police.
A protest march was held near Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Monday evening.
"We also tried to march from the campus of the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) to Supreme Court, but soon after we had started it, security personnel did not allow us to proceed," FORDA president Manish claimed.
Manish also alleged that several doctors were "detained" by police force, and taken to police station premises, before being released after some time. He also alleged that "police force was used and many doctors were injured" during their dramatic face-off.
Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) in a statement claimed "police brutality" and called it a "black day in the history of the medical fraternity". It also said that resident doctors were protesting "peacefully" and alleged that they were "brutally thrashed, dragged and detained by the cops."
"There will be a complete shutdown of all Healthcare Institutions today onwards. We strongly condemn this brutality and demand immediate release of FORDA Representatives and Resident doctors," the statement issued on Monday read.
Meanwhile, AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA) has called for a strike on December 29 including the shutdown of all non-emergency services if no "adequate" response from the government is received over allleged police brutality in the protest march.
The AIIMS RDA has demanded immediate release of detained doctors with an apology from the government and the police over alleged police brutality in the protest march.
However, police denied allegations of lathicharge or use of abusive language from their end, and said, 12 protestors were detained and released later.
Police said that seven cops were injured in the march near ITO and consequently registered an FIR under section 188 and other sections for causing obstruction in the duty of police personnel, and damaging public property.
In an official statement issued later, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Rohit Meena said, on Monday, a group of resident doctors "without having any authorised permission" blocked the BSZ Marg, main road between ITO and Delhi gate, and jammed the traffic for more than six hours".
"They deliberately created nuisance on the main road and blocked both carriageways, causing hardship and harassment to commuters and general public," he claimed in the statement.
Subsequently, they were "addressed by DG Health" who gave them the assurance of fulfilling their demands, the senior police officer was quoted as saying in the statement.
However, they became "aggressive and even after pacifying them, they blocked the road", he claimed.
"After requesting them again to leave the road, they became aggressive and manhandled our personnel when efforts were made to detain them lawfully. Seven police personnel got injured while detaining them. They also broke the glass of police bus," he alleged.
For months now, Resident Doctors have been protesting demanding to expedite the NEET-PG 2021 counselling as well as admission process.
Admission to various courses in NEET PG 2021 has been delayed indefinitely following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to FORDA, 45 thousand doctors are sitting at home after qualifying NEET PG, as the counselling is delayed.
After delays due to the second wave, NEET 2021 was conducted in September instead of May.?
The counselling process which was slated to start on October 25 has not started yet because of pending cases related to the recently created EWS quota in the Supreme Court.
Last month the Supreme Court was informed by the Centre that the counselling for the?NEET PG medical courses?"would be postponed by four weeks" as for reservations in admissions it was 8 lakh annual income criteria for determining the EWS category.
This delay, in turn, is affecting the Resident Doctors who are forced to work overtime due to the staff shortage. They allege that they are forced to work over 80 hours a week during the pandemic.
Resident Doctors have been urging the government to expedite the process to ease their burden, especially in the wake of the third wave of COVID-19 that is likely to hit India soon.
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