16 May,2011 08:19 AM IST | | Priyanka Vora
Resident doctors of government-aided ayurveda hospitals have failed to garner any political support and are now threatening to fast unto death to get their demands fulfilled
Upset with the step-motherly treatment given to the doctors pursuing Ayurveda in government-aided colleges, the resident doctors went on relay hunger strike for the fifth consecutive day yesterday. Their protest, however, has so far failed to create any ruffles because no state official has come forward to address their grievances as yet. As a result, around 150 students working in 14 government-aided ayurvedic colleges have deiced to sit on a fast unto death from Thursday, if the authorities fail to pay heed to their demand of introducing a stipend for them. At present, resident doctors studying at government aided ayurvedic medical colleges are not paid any stipend, even when their counterparts working in government colleges as ayurvedic and allopathy doctors get Rs 26,000-Rs 28,000 as remuneration.
What about us? Resident doctors of government-aided ayurvedic
hospitals protest at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Bipin Kokate
"We are upset with the step motherly treatment, given to Ayurvedic science and doctors working in this field. Since the last five days no officer has come to visit us. We have been trying to meet the authorities but are not being given an appointment. If our proposal is not passed till Thursday, we will be forced to start an indefinite hunger strike," said Mahindra Borde, president of Maharashtra Ayurvedau00a0 Students Association.
The resident doctors have not been able to garner any political support either. "Many senior politicians have come to ayurvedic hospitals for treatment but they do not support us now as we are some 150 odd students asking for justice," said Borde, who studies at Tilak Ayurvedic College in Pune.
The students pursuing post graduation in Ayurveda argued that despite appearing for the same entrance exam and going through the same selection process as their counterparts studying in government colleges, they face discrimination. Dr Rakesh Tiwari, first year student of Mittal College, said, "We work round-the-clock and conduct research that helps us to keep Ayurveda updated with the recent times. So why aren't we given any stipend?"
False assurance?
Earlier in 2008, the students had gone on a hunger strike after which politicos and bureaucrats assured them of a stipend. "The then chief minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh and later Varsha Gaikwad, higher and technical education minister, had assured that there will be a stipend for all resident doctors of government aided colleges too, but the file is still gathering dust," said Borde. On Saturday the students were served notices to resume their service or face termination. "We have not accepted the notice as our demands are genuine and we had intimated all authorities before going on strike," Borde said.
The Other Side
The state authorities argue that they were not informed about the hunger strike. Dr K R Kohli, director of department of Ayurveda, said, "The students should have given us a notice or forewarning before going on strike. Medical education ministry is always open for a dialogue." Commenting on the students' demand for stipend, he said, "The students studying in government-aided colleges are not covered under the residency scheme and thus they do not receive any stipend which they knew before joining the college. The state does not owe anything apart from the 100 per cent salary grant for teaching and non-teaching employees for approved posts."
19 Number of government-aided ayurvedic colleges out of the total 23 colleges.
