UK Commission for Racial Equality to protect Indian Docs interests

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) The Commission for Racial Equality in Britain will take ''all possible steps'' to protect the interests of Indian doctors in UK, who are facing the threat of loss of jobs because of a controversial government legislation, and will intervene if the policy impacts the medicos adversely, Commission Chairperson Kay Hampton said here today.

A delegation of the Commission, which met Minorities Affairs Minister A R Antulay, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Minorities Commission here, said it was investigating the matter and would intervene if it was found that the policy was adversely affecting the Indian doctors working in Britain.

The delegation headed by Prof Kay Hampton, Chairman of the Commission, and Ms Roisin Donachie, Head of the European and International Relations of the Commission, however, said the doctors had got a reprieve after the British Health Department agreed to delay the implementation of the law.

The controversial law, which bars government hospitals in Britain from hiring doctors from outside the European Union (EU), has come in for sharp criticism with more than 20,000 Indian doctors' jobs at stake.

However, the Health Department's decision to delay the implementation of the law brought some reprieve for Indian doctors who were, otherwise, facing threat of loss of jobs.

Ms Roisin also criticised the racist attack on Indian film actress Shilpa Shetty in the realitty show 'Big Brother', saying ''bullying'' was not acceptable.

''Bullying by anybody is not acceptable,'' she said.

She said they had also written to Channel 4, the organisers of the show, to monitor the show closely.

Ms Roisin also praised Shilpa Shetty for showing ''maturity and courage'' in forgiving her tormentor.

UNI