Docs call off strike, panel to look into demands

JAIPUR: The New Year began on a positive note with the agitating doctors calling off their 11-day long strike. The government agreed to set up a five-member committee of ministers to look into the demands of the doctors after holding talks with the agitators late in the night. It has also agreed to revoke all disciplinary actions and withdraw cases filed against the doctors during the strike.The government also lifted RESMA and ordered the release of the remaining jailed doctors.
"We trust the chief minister and the sub-ministerial committee, which will look into our demands. After holding talks with the government, we have called off the agitation. All in-service doctors in the state will resume work from Sunday ,'' said Dr Nasrin Bharti, general secretary , All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors' Association.
The deadlock over a formal dialogue between the two sides ended on Saturday evening with the government agreeing to lift the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) and release the 70 arrested doctors unconditionally.
An announcement in this regard was made after the chief minister presided over a high-level review meeting, which was attended by senior bureaucrats along with ministers including A A Khan, Virendra Beniwal and Dr Rajkumar Sharma . More than 500 doctors were arrested during the strike. Most of them are already out on bail.
Virendra Beniwal part of new panel
JAIPUR: Dr Karan Singh, vice-chairman of the 20-Point Programme, was also present . After meeting the minister, the doctors continued with their internal meeting at his residence.
On Thursday, a delegation of doctors had met Jitendra Singh and demanded that the state government lift the RESMA and look into their demands. The energy minister is part of the sub-ministerial committee, which is looking into the demands of the doctors and includes health minister A A Khan and industry minister Rajendra Pareek. The new committee announced on Saturday includes these three and minister of state for home Virendra Beniwal.