Delhi: Doctors to Continue Protest over NEET-PG Counseling

A doctors association of government-run hospitals in Delhi on Tuesday said that it will continue to protest against the delay in NEET-PG counseling until their demands are met. They also called a complete shutdown of all healthcare institutions.

General Secretary of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), Dr. Kul Saurabh Kaushik while quoted by news agency ANI said that they were detained at Sarojini Nagar police station. "After discussion we have decided to continue the protest from Safdarjung Hospital until our demands are met. Considering night curfew, we returned to Safdarjung. We will continue our protest there," Dr. Kaushik said.

A protest march was held by the doctors near Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi on Monday evening during which the police said that seven personnel were injured near ITO.

The Delhi Police registered a first information report (FIR) under section 188 and other sections for causing obstruction in the duty of police personnel, and damaging public property, as reported by Hindustan Times.

However, FORDA in a statement claimed "police brutality" and called it a "black day in the history of the medical fraternity". It also said that resident doctors in Delhi were protesting "peacefully" and alleged that they 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 and demand immediate release of FORDA Representatives and Resident doctors," the association said in a statement on Monday.

Meanwhile, AIIMS Resident Doctors Association (RDA) has called for a strike on December 29 including the shutdown of all non-emergency services if no "adequate" response from the government is received over alleged police brutality in the protest march.

The AIIMS RDA has demanded immediate release of detained doctors with an apology from the government and the police over alleged police brutality in the protest march.

The NEET PG exam scheduled in January 2021 was postponed in view of the first and second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and was later held on September 12.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: 11,500 Flights Cancelled Worldwide Amid Surge in Cases