New Delhi, Finally after almost a week, the doctors’strike has come to an end but not before hundreds of death and a face-off with political leaders. This must have come as a major relief for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who was at the receiving end when the strike started as two junior doctors were hit by the relatives of a patient who died in the process of treatment.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing on a plea seeking the protection of doctors in government hospitals, saying since doctors have called off their strike in West Bengal and other states, there is no urgency to hear the matter.
A bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Surya Kant said it will not issue a notice (to the Centre) but is keeping the larger issue of protection of doctors open.
“We agreed to hear the plea today as there was a strike by doctors and medical fraternity in West Bengal and other states. The strike has been called off and there appears no urgency to hear the petition. List (the matter) before an appropriate bench,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association also filed an impleadment application seeking the court’s intervention into the plea already filed, saying protection needs to be provided to doctors across the country.The bench said it needs to take a holistic view in providing security to doctors.
“We can’t protect doctors at the cost of other citizens. We have to look at the larger picture. We are not against the protection given to doctors,” the bench said.
Supreme Court refused to pass any order today on the petition seeking to provide security to doctors in government hospitals, directed the matter to be listed before an appropriate bench after vacation.
The Indian Medical Association has filed an IA (Intervention Application) and supported the cause of the petitioner, Alakh Alok Srivastava in the case.
