Home Minister appeals IMA to withdraw from hartal

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 (UNI) Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan today urged the Indian Medical Association (IMA) not to go ahead with its proposal for a state-wide 24-hour medical hartal on January 12.

Talking to reporters here, he said the government could not do anything on their demands as the issue was now under the consideration of the court.

The IMA called for the hartal to press its demands which included free and fair working environment, withdrawal of all cases against Dr P Ashokan of the Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kottayam, and drafting of a new Medical Act to protect the interests of doctors.

Mr Balakrishnan said that Dr Ashokan, chief of the third unit of the orthopaedic ward of the MCH, was taken into custody by the police on bribery charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act and produced before the Vigilance Court in Thrissur.

Since the arrest was in connection with bribery charges, the move of the IMA for agitation was amounted to encouraging bribery, he said and added that the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA) had called off the strike following discussions with the Health Minister.

The government would never tolerate bribe taking, he said and warned that strict action would be taken against such people. It would also take action against government doctors working in private hospitals.

UNI