CPI asks Centre to take up scrapping of PFT with UK

NEW DELHI: CPI on Wednesday asked the government to take up with Britain the issue of scrapping of Permit Free Training (PFT) visas for Indian doctors, saying it would affect the future of thousands of Indian medical practitioners pursuing their post-graduate programmes in that country.

Party General Secretary A B Bardhan, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the British government's action was a 'blatant violation' of its own promise to and understanding with these doctors.

He said these Indian doctors were in the midst of their post-graduation in the UK and were simultaneously rendering 'invaluable' service to the National Health Service which had even been recognised by the British Home Office in an order this March.

Observing that the new rule should not be executed in less than five years to enable those pursuing PG courses complete them, Bardhan said it should be applicable to those who would now onwards take the exams for getting registered with the UK Medical Council "fully knowing about the new conditions".

He said the External Affairs and Health Ministries should also take up the matter with their British counterparts and seek restoration of the PFT visa, a decision for whose scrapping was taken "without notice or information" to the concerned doctors. The scrapping would be effective from July.