Mujtaba Wani
SRINAGAR: Doctors working at a main hospital in Kashmir have threatened to boycott work if authorities failed to stop what they called was brutal behavior against them by security forces.
A statement issued by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar (SMHS) and Associated Hospitals Friday said the medicos were “humiliated” and prevented by forces to reach the hospitals during the curfew.
“The severe restrictions put in place by the authorities made the doctors and paramedical staff of SMHS and Associated Hospitals to suffer as the security forces at various places did not respect the identity cards even after making repeated announcements of the same in the media,” the statement said.
The doctors said even their female colleagues were “harassed and abused” and had to face the wrath of the security forces while moving to work.
A couple of days ago, at least two paramedics were injured after the police allegedly stopped an ambulance ferrying a group of doctors and paramedics to work and dragged them out before beating them up.
This despite an announcement by the authorities that the identity cards of all essential services employees will be treated as permission to move under curfew.
“RDA strongly condemns the highhandedness of the security forces and demands immediate action against the erring security persons,” the RDA statement said. They said in case no action was taken against the security forces they will be “forced to stop work.”
The doctors said if they boycott work, “the government will be held responsible.”
The RDA has also condemned the use of pepper guns in the vicinity of the hospital saying it not only made working inside the hospital very difficult but also caused harm to the patients.
