Is CM and Pawar’s tussle causing strike deadlock?

Medical interns' strike enters seventh day; some believe Ajit Pawar is upset that strikers visited CM

Is CM and Pawar's tussle causing strike deadlock?

Medical interns' strike enters seventh day; some believe Ajit Pawar is upset that strikers visited CM

Even as the statewide strike by medical interns entered its seventh day on Saturday, with 120 interns in Mumbai on a hunger strike, there seems to be no solution in sight. A series of meetings were held between interns and officials from the Medical Education Department (MED) on Saturday but efforts proved futile.

According to Dr Pravin Shingare, Deputy Director, Director of Medical Education Department, some breakthrough seemed likely when the interns agreed on a monthly stipend of Rs 11,000. "But they wanted us to commit to the amount and the time it would take to implement it, all of which we cannot guarantee as such decisions can be taken by the cabinet only," said Dr Shingare.

The interns' are demanding that the stipend amount be raised to Rs 13,500 from Rs 2,550, and that Rs 1,000 be added to the amount every year. According to members of the opposition parties and the strikers, the reason the interns' demand is falling on deaf ears is thanks to the tussle between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress. Shiv Sena MLA, Dr Deepak Sawant, said on Saturday, "The Chief Minister (CM) and the Deputy CM belong to the Congress and NCP respectively. Their tussle is making the interns suffer."

The supposed grouse between the parties, or rather the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, might have something to do with it. Before the strike began, the interns had met Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (who is also the State Finance Minister) on April 17 with the plea to increase their monthly stipends.

According to the strikers, he seemed positive and asked them to send a formal proposal to the finance ministry for him to consider. The strikers believe that their meeting with Prithviraj Chavan on the second day of their strike on May 2 has upset him. "We have tried four times to get an appointment with him, but he has refused," said Dr Dhaval Shah, Mumbai coordinator of Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI).

The strike has attracted the interest of political parties from the very start. On the first day, the interns received the support of Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray. On the second day, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joined the fray, with MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar paying a quick visit to meet the striking interns at Kamgar Maidan, opposite KEM hospital.

Currently 120 interns are on a hunger strike at Kamgar Maidan. Another 50 interns have fallen ill and been admitted to various city hospitals. The MED has served the interns show cause notices asking them to resume work within 24 hours, failing which they will have to face action, which may lead to their internships being cancelled.u00a0

KEM hospital authorities have slapped notices on 210 medical interns asking them to join service immediately, and even Nair and Sion hospitals have served similar notices. According to Shingare, the fear of action has helped since around 150 interns have resumed work.