CM rejects demand, doctors' stir continues

Agencies Posted: Dec 05, 2007 at 0000 hrs
Hyderabad, December 5: Stalemate over junior doctors' stir in Andhra Pradesh continued for the third day on Tuesday as Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy rejected their demand for filing a case for non-bailable offence against a city MLA for allegedly attacking them at a state-run children's hospital.

"The concerned police officials would decide the charges to be framed. How can we interefere in the day to day functioning of the police officers. How can they (doctors) tell us what sections to be invoked," Reddy told reporters.

He was asked about the specific demand of the striking medicos that non-bailable charges should be framed against Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA Afsar Khan, who allegedly attacked the doctors on duty at Niloufer government children's hospital on Sunday last.

Denying that his government was soft-pedalling on the MIM MLA, he said action would be taken in accordance with law.

He made an appeal to the doctors saying the government cared for their security and that they should call off their stir in the interest of the patients.

However, the medicos continued their stir joined by their seniors who staged a token protest, throwing medical services out of gear.