THEOPTIMISTICJOURNALIST

Telangana : Congress’ regime refuses to address Junior Doctors’ demands, continues NEET Protests in other states

Despite talks with Health Authorities, Telangana Government refuses to accommodate Junior Doctors’ demands. The Congress, that claims to be a champion of the Nation-wide Youth, faces a reality check in the state under its control. The Junior Doctors declared to continue its strike

Riding high on the wave of student protests, the Congress that allegedly created a nation-wide ruckus around the NEET-Allegations is unable to accommodate the demands of the Junior Doctors in Telangana compelling them to continue their statewide-strike.

The Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (T-JUDA) that had previously requested deliberations with the Health Authorities were left disappointed by Damodar Rajanarasimha, the Health Minister of Telangana.

The grievances of hundreds of Junior Doctors of several Medical Colleges and Government Hospitals, including the Gandhi and Osmania Medical College were ‘heard’ by the Health Minister with a meeting during the afternoon of June 24, 2024.

The Junior Doctors had previously voiced their grievances after stipends were delayed for two months for the junior doctors, house surgeons, postgraduates and senior residents. They also requested the appointment of students who had completed super-speciality as assistant professors on contractual basis with a monthly salary of `1.25 lakh.

The Junior Doctors requested the creation of a green channel for regular credit of the monthly stipends and an official order stating that the dues would be paid by the 10th of every month. They also raised concerns for their safety.

Damodar Rajanarasimha, the Health Minister of Telangana reportedly said budget relaxation for stipends for a period of one year (2024-25) had been issued. The Junior Doctors find the promise as a mere experiment to address their concern for stipends. They assert that assurance can be reviewed periodically and changed, too.

The doctors, with their demands not addressed, also met the Director of Medical Education, (DME,) Dr N Vani in the evening. Although The DME provided a timeline for all the regular release of the stipends, he failed to provide a timeline for the deployment of security forces for the protection of doctors.

The Junior Doctors have announced to continue their strike.

Apparently, magnitude of the publicity awarded to the statewide-strike of Telangana’s Junior Doctors might fail to match that of the nation-wide NEET-protests, allegedly orchestrated by the Congress. But it speaks volumes about the Congress’ concerns for the Youth, which the party selectively neglects in the states it controls.