On Monday (December 27), a large group of protesting resident doctors were reportedly manhandled and detained by the Delhi police during a protest march from the Maulana Azad Medical College to the Supreme Court of India. The demonstration was conducted to protest against the delay in the counselling session for PG NEET admissions for the year 2021.
In a tweet shared by Mirror Now journalist Ayushman Kumar, he said, “Protesting resident Doctors removed forcefully by Delhi Police. Female resident doctors allege manhandling by male policemen. #neetpg2021counselling”
Protesting resident Doctors removed forcefully by Delhi Police.
— Ayushman Kumar (@Iam_Ayushmann) December 27, 2021
Female resident doctors allege manhandling by male policemen. #neetpg2021counselling pic.twitter.com/g7wPooowsn
Several videos have now surfaced on social media wherein police officials are seen forcibly removing demonstrators from the protest site. A video shared by Hindustan Times journalist Hemant Rajaura shows cops shoving doctors into a police van.
Resident Doctors of Prestigious Hospitals in Delhi forcefully removed by Delhi Police.
— Hemant Rajaura (@hemantrajora_) December 27, 2021
Now Doctors have asked all the resident Doctors of the Different Hospitals to reach Safdarjung.
Agar #COVID Wave se pehle bachi hui medical service bhi band kar di inhone toh kya hoga ? pic.twitter.com/hfTjLxeu22
Meanwhile, female protestors who were being detained by the police had alleged manhandling and abuse at the hands of male police personnel.
New Video : Women doctors allege manhandling and Abuse by male policemen@FordaIndia @IMAIndiaOrg pic.twitter.com/OfM3v5hfJf
— Hemant Rajaura (@hemantrajora_) December 27, 2021
As per reports, the resident doctors were stopped near ITO and 12 of them were then briefly detained at the Rajinder Nagar police station. They were released soon after.
While speaking about the matter, a police officer told The Hindu, “We had been trying to pacify them since 9:30 a.m. but to no avail. They wanted to go to Supreme Court and that’s when we had to detain them. During detention, they got violent and also broke the windows of our bus.” He had also claimed that no doctors were thrashed.
The reason behind the protests
A second-year post-graduate resident doctor explained, “Our juniors were supposed to come 6 months ago but this could not happen. As such, the third-year students will complete their PG programme in February and exit. We are the only batch overseeing all the work including emergencies, wards and OPDs. We do not have a junior batch. There have already been two Covid-19 waves. And one more is incoming. There is already a shortage of doctors in the country.”
A Police Inspector posted at protest site just asked me Why Doctors are protesting!
— Hemant Rajaura (@hemantrajora_) December 27, 2021
Lot of People Don’t know what Is NEET PG counselling issue !
So I am posting a video here 👇@FordaIndia#ExpediteNEETPGCounselling2021
pic.twitter.com/SCchPdqz20
“Under normal circumstances, there is one doctor per 1000 people. At this point, the batch of 45000 doctors (the 1st year students ) is not there. Imagine what would have happened to the doctor-patient ratio? The entire responsibility has fallen on the shoulders of the 2nd year students. Our duties have doubled. Doctors are overworked, overstressed, sometimes they have to work repeated shifts of 48 hours without sleep. Would you want to consult doctors who have been so sleep-deprived, hungry and exhausted? she asked.
Popular Twitter user and surgeon Amit Thandhani added that if a new batch of postgraduate resident doctors does not join in a couple of months’ time, then, the PG programme will only be left with only second-year students. He added, “If there are no fresh PG residents joining and one batch is leaving after completion of the course, we will be down by one-third of the entire strength of doctors at major hospitals within the next couple of months.”
If there are no fresh PG residents joining and one batch is leaving after completion of course, we will be down by one third of the entire strength of doctors at major hospitals within the next couple of months. Hope @mansukhmandviya understands the gravity of the situation.
— Amit Thadhani (@amitsurg) December 28, 2021
Delay in NEET-PG counselling
The resident doctors’ protest initially began earlier in December but was withdrawn on December 9, following an assurance that the schedule for NEET PG counselling will be released in a weeks’ time. When their demand was not met, they resumed their agitation from December 17 onwards. At the heart of the controversy are the delayed timings of the NEET-PG exam due to the Coronavirus outbreak, petitions over the new reservations for the OBC and EWS category, and the pendency of litigation in the Supreme Court.
The registration for NEET-PG 2021 commenced on February 23, 2021, but the exam could not be held for 8 months. It was delayed several times, citing the surge in Coronavirus cases, and was finally held on September 11 this year. The results were declared on September 28 and were the counselling was set to begin from October 25 onwards. However, it could not take place owing to several petitions filed in the Supreme Court challenging the new quota system introduced by the Modi government in undergraduate and postgraduate seats.
Under the new system, 27% of seats were to be reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The reservation was to apply to the seats that were ‘surrendered’ to the Central govt by State medical colleges in the 50% All India Quota. After the reservation policy was questioned in Court, the Central government conceded that the students would be in a serious problem if the counselling began before the matter was resolved. “The counselling process will not begin till the court decides the pending batch of petitions,” the ASG KM Nataraj had submitted in Court.
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), accordingly, postponed the NEET PG 2021 counselling. On October 21, a Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna had asked the Centre to reconsider the cap of ₹8 lac for determining a student’s eligibility under the EWS quota in NEET PG Counseling. 5 days later on October 26, the Centre justified the annual income bar of ₹8 lacs and added that it was based on the ‘National Cost of Living Index’.
Reportedly, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment also stated that the decision was in line with Article 14, Article 15, and Article 16 of the Indian Constitution. As such, until the hearing of the petitions in the reservation quota is over and the Supreme Court gives a green signal, the Central government cannot go ahead with the NEET PG 2021 Counselling. This has become the bone of contention between the Centre, apex Court, and the resident doctors.
Demands made by Resident doctors
On Tuesday (December 28), the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has called for the withdrawal of medical services across India from December 29, 2021 onwards to protest the clampdown on resident doctors by the Delhi police. They have demanded an immediate announcement of the counselling schedule for NEET PG 2021.
“FAIMA strongly condemns the abuse of power by the Delhi Police and demands immediate suspension of all police personnel at whose directions force was used on our doctors. The videos which have surfaced and the stories which have been shared are horrific and make us question whether we have gone back to the barbaric times, or whether the administration feels like they can do whatever they want to suppress dissent?” it said in a statement.
FAIMA further warned, “If the authorities think they can get away with using whatever oppressive means they have at their disposal, they are wrong and it is time for all doctors to show unity and solidarity with our colleagues who have been mercilessly handled, gheraoed, dragged and detained…In solidarity with FORDA and other RDAs already protesting in Delhi, we hereby call for Complete Withdrawal! from All Healthcare Services across the Country from 8 AM on 29/12/2021.”
Similarly, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) in a press release stated, “A Black Day in the history of Medical fraternity of the nation. Resident Doctors, the so-called ‘Corona Warriors”, protesting peacefully to Expedite NEET-PG Counselling in Delhi 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 & demand immediate release or FORDA Representatives & Resident Doctors.”
It emphasised, “The Medical fraternity of the nation must condemn this act in strongest words & come forward in support. We urge all State RDAs or the nation in agitation. We all stand united in this fight against Injustice!”
Coronavirus pandemic, Omicron variant and doctor protests
India is witnessing a surge in Omicron cases, with a total of 653 infected patients as of Tuesday (December 28). Maharashtra has reported 167 such cases while Delhi has reported about 165 Omicron cases. Meanwhile, the country has around 75,456 active cases of Wuhan Coronavirus. In the last 24 hours, there have been 6358 new cases of Covid-19 and 293 deaths. Although the daily positivity rate has been around 0.61%, fear persists about the resurgence of a 3rd wave.
At such a crucial juncture, India is witnessing the dearth of 45000 doctors who were supposed to take admissions in the PG programme this year. In their absence, the doctor-patient ratio has been skewed to an extent that continuing healthcare means underwhelming stress and inhuman working hours for resident doctors. If a third wave hits, the healthcare services will risk collapse. The government cannot overlook their demands for long or risk shutting down healthcare services temporarily. A peaceful resolution is the need of the hour with the Supreme Court intervening for quick grievance redressal.
A country with a population as large as India cannot ignore the necessity for new doctors, especially when we are facing a pandemic.
