MBBS students and intern doctors in Bhopal continued their protest for a stipend hike. Following an intervention by the District Collector, a delegation of protesters met with the state government to discuss their demands and resolve the issue.
Stipend Hike Protest Continues
The agitation by MBBS students and intern doctors demanding a hike in their stipend continued in Bhopal on Wednesday, even as the district administration intervened to facilitate formal talks between the demonstrators and the state government.
Following an intervention by Bhopal District Collector Priyank Mishra at the protest site near Kamla Park road, a delegation of protesting intern doctors headed to the state secretariat (Mantralaya) to hold discussions regarding their demands. The interns have been staging a sit-in since Monday evening, causing traffic snarls in the area. They have warned that the agitation will continue if the talks fail to yield positive results.
Administration Urges an End to Road Blockade
Collector Priyank Mishra visited the demonstration site to review the situation and urged the students to vacate the road, emphasising the need to maintain public order. "The primary responsibility of the district administration is to ensure that law and order is maintained smoothly. Regarding the demands that the interns are raising, there was a detailed discussion yesterday as well. They have been called for discussions today, too. The students' delegation should talk... It's been 2-3 days. Your concerns have reached the government. It's not that you can't speak up again. I don't think it's right to continue sitting like this in this manner," Collector Mishra told reporters.
Opposition Backs Protesting Students
Addressing the issue from Dhar, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, backed the medical students and questioned the Mohan Yadav-led government's reluctance to revise stipends. "It is a legitimate demand. When intern doctors get higher stipends in other states, why doesn't the government want to increase the stipend according to other states?" Singhar told ANI.
Meanwhile, the agitation also garnered political backing from Congress MLA Arif Masood as he joined the protest on Wednesday.
Flagging broader civic and healthcare deficits in the state capital, Masood cited them during a separate 'Run for Bhopal' marathon organised to demand the implementation of the long-pending Bhopal Master Plan. "We had to organise the 'Run for Bhopal' for the Master Plan, with children, residents, and everyone coming together. We are demanding that Mohan Yadav ji bring the Master Plan. That is our only demand. Bring the Master Plan. There are traffic problems; healthcare services are in poor condition. The area has become so congested," Masood said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)