Unfazed by the Supreme Court's virtual threat of contempt proceedings against them, medicos decided to continue their stir.
NEW DELHI: Unfazed by the Supreme Court's virtual threat on Tuesday of contempt proceedings against them, striking medicos decided to continue their anti-quota stir even as the government announced Army and railway doctors would be called in and fresh recruitments made from Wednesday to maintain health services.
Expressing displeasure at the medicos ignoring its appeal to call off their strike, the apex court indicated contempt action could be launched against them if they continued to ignore the plight of patients who had been left 'at the mercy of god'.
"We are told they (students) are continuing with the strike. If they are over-reaching our orders, they are in for a surprise. It can amount to contempt," warned a vacation bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and L S Panta, taking suo motu notice of the continuation of the strike.
Soon after the apex court made its observation, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and announced the government would requisition the services of Army and railway doctors and make fresh recruitments from Wednesday.
"We will be taking a lot of steps from Wednesday to maintain the services including new recruitments. We are going to ask Army and railway doctors to work (in state-run hospitals)," Ramadoss told reporters.
Despite these developments, the medicos decided to carry on with their agitation. The apex court's order is not addressed to them and it does not carry a contempt of court threat, said representatives of Youth for Euqality, which is spearheading the agitation.
Ramadoss said the Prime Minister has directed that "(health) services have to be maintained come what may", but ruled out the invoking of the Essential Services Maintenance Act to deal with the situation.
The apex court also expressed displeasure at the students continuing their protest despite its "clear indication" that the quota issue is being examined by it.
"Surprisingly, contrary is happening. Ultimately people waiting to get treated at hospitals are being affected," the bench observed.
Making it clear that the medicos cannot protest since the matter was sub-judice, the bench spoke about two judgments of the apex court to caution them.
"We are not concerned at this stage about the government policy. We are concerned at this stage about the plight of the people," the bench said, asking Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian to file by on Wednesday a memorandum giving details about the latest position regarding the protests by the medicos.
Ramadoss said while retired doctors would be appointed on contract, the new recruitment was going to stay.
"Doctors have the right to air their views but not during duty hours. Two weeks time is too long a period and a lot of poor patients from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and North East are suffering," he said.
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