Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Nov 16: A divisional bench of the state High Court on Friday November 14, asked the state government to initiate tough measures against the doctors of the government hospitals in the state, who went on an indefinite strike in support of their demands, before resuming work after a three-day gap, and not before  the government acceded to their demands.

Through a public interest litigation, advocates Krishna Bhat and Vasudev had asked the High Court to intervene in the issue, drawing its attention to the fact  that the medical services sector has been treated as the most essential service. Knowing fully well that thousands of poor and middle-class patients will face untold miseries, the doctors purposefully opted to strike work, they had stated.

The divisional bench in which Chief Justice P D Dinakaran was one of the members, took the issue seriously and ordered the government to take stern steps against the erring government doctors. The fact that the Indian Medical Association permitted the doctors to go ahead with strike inspite of being aware that thousands of poor and middle-class citizens  suffer from its  adverse consequences, was a grave mistake. The Indian Medical Association should take care to ensure that the instances of this kind do not recur in future, the Chief Justice said.

"The government should take strong measures against the doctors who took part in the strike, including cancellation of their medical certificates. If they resort to the same tactics in future, we may have to hold the Indian Medical Association directly responsible for the same," the court warned.

The Association is fully aware that the poor and the  middle-class people avail of the services of the government hospitals. How can it justify having supported the strike under these circumstances, the bench questioned.

The doctors have been responsible for several deaths due to their strike of three days so far. Does the Indian Medical Association want people to die in this way?, the bench questioned.  It also felt, that getting their demands met by causing public inconvenience was not a right mode of protest on the part of the doctors.