Jaipur/Alwar/Jaisalmer: In the last two days, what had happened to the doctors, they might have never imagined about it. They were picked up by the police from their houses and arrested under Section 151 of IPC. Later, sub-divisional magistrate court sent them to judicial custody.
Health minister Kalicharan Saraf said that they will take strict action against doctors, it they go on strike. He was in Bharatpur to take part in a function organised for on completion of four-year of state government.
Saraf said that the government has taken necessary steps on their demand. In such a case, if they go on strike, they will be dealt with serious action. "The government has invoked Rajasthan Essential Services Maintainace Act (RESMA). Doctors will be arrested. If needed stricter action will be taken," he said adding that they will not allow doctors to leave the patients in pain.
Dr Siya Ram Meena, working in Sawai Madhopur district hospital was the first one, who was arrested by the police from his home. On Friday evening, when he was at his home, police knocked his door and arrested him. He was sent to judicial custody. Doctors of Sawai Madhopur staged dharna outside Kotwali police station. They remained outside the police station throughout the night braving cold conditions. Two other doctors from same district hospital— Dr Abdul Qazim and Dr Mahendra Jain were also arrested.
Since then, 55 doctors have already been arrested and 17 were sent to judicial custody. However, the police said that more would be arrested.
A female doctor from Dungarpur was also arrested whose four-year-old son was left at the house alone. There are protests from across the state staged by doctors outside police stations.
Two doctors from Bundi were arrested including ARISDA district president Dr kalp Shandilya. They were sent to judicial custody. ARISDA officials said that they sat on hunger strike in the jail. They claimed that police had called Dr Shandalya for seeing an emergency case, where they arrested him.
Protesting arrest of doctors, there is heavy resentment among doctors in Jaisalmer. In Jaisalmer, three doctors were arrested and sent to jail. All in service doctors of Jaisalmer district reached the office of district collector and submitted memorandum. In the memorandum, they mentioned that doctors have been arrested without reason from the workplace. Doctors reached Jaisalmer Kotwali, protested at Thana and sat on dharna. In Barmer, two doctors were arrested, and then SDM warned them of not going on strike and release on bail.
Doctors also went to police station and demanded to release the arrested doctors immediately or else asked to arrest the remaining doctors.
Following arrests, doctors left the hospitals leaving patients on the mercy of God. The admitted patients are not getting the proper treatment in hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Hospital in Alwar, Mahila Hospital, Geetanshu hospital in Alwar. The postmortum of bodies has also been affected.
Alwar's district hospital principal medical officer Dr Bhagan Sahay said that doctors left the hospital saying that they would return after a meeting, but they did not turn up.
Such is the situation of hospitals across the state.
