New Delhi: Doctors of AIIMS Delhi on Saturday called off their protest and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet the demands of the protesting doctors. In their ultimatum, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at AIIMS said that if the demands of the West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at the Delhi hospital.
The AIIMS Delhi doctors would, however, continue to wear red-stained bandages and helmets as a sign of protest.
As per a statement released by AIIMS Delhi, "AIIMS issues an ultimatum of 48-hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need.”
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The AIIMS doctors' 48-hour ultimatum came a day after Mamata Banerjee gave them a four-hour ultimatum to withdraw their strike. Facing demonstrations from striking doctors, Mamata Banerjee on Thursday gave them a four-hour ultimatum to either withdraw their strike or vacate the hostels.
The young doctors, however, refused to move.
On Friday, doctors of several hospitals in Delhi, including AIIMS, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana went on a strike in unity with the striking doctors of West Bengal, demanding safe environment for the practitioners.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also called for a nationwide strike on June 17, demanding safe working conditions for doctors. It also launched a three-day nationwide protest, beginning Friday to express solidarity with the West Bengal doctors agitating against the assault of their colleague in Kolkata.
Late Friday, Mamata Banerjee invited the protesting junior doctors for a meeting at the state secretariat, which they declined saying it is a ploy to break their stir.