New Delhi: Medical students and doctors on Tuesday decided to continue their strike against the Government’s reservation policy despite the Supreme Court's warning.
A representative of the Youth for Equality group, which is leading the medicos’ agitation, said the order to end the agitation is not addressed to them and it does not carry a contempt of court threat.
"We are told they (students) are continuing with the strike. If they are over-reaching our orders, they are in for a surprise. It can amount to contempt," warned a vacation Bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and L S Panta.
Soon after the order, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and announced the Government would use services of Army and railway doctors and make fresh recruitments from Wednesday.
"We will be taking a lot of steps, including new recruitments, from Wednesday to maintain services. We are going to ask Army and railway doctors to work (in state-run hospitals)," Ramadoss said.
The Prime Minister has directed that "(health) services have to be maintained come what may,” he said.
"We are going to take a lot of steps to maintain services. Doctors have their right to air their views but not during duty hours. Two weeks time is too long a period and lot of poor patients from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and North East are suffering".
Asked about the trouble that the administration had faced during the last recruitment drive, he said this time that would not be repeated and people would be recruited.
Ramadoss said while retired doctors would be appointed on contract, the new recruitment was going to stay. "Doctors have the right to air their views but not during duty hours.
"When the Prime Minister himself met them, I do not see any reason in their continuing the strike".
The government has issued memos to the striking medicos warning termination of services if they did not join the duty, he said. "We have stopped salaries to the doctors this month."
Asked whether the Government was contemplating ESMA, he said: "You put in whatever word you want. We are going to maintain services. It implies a lot".
The Prime Minister was concerned about the Supreme Court's comments on medicos continuing their strike despite its warning.
"We are very disheartened with the response" of the medicos, he said.
He ruled out any further discussions between the government and the protestors, saying the Prime Minister
Negotiated with them himself but they did not pay heed to his appeal.
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