The Bombay High Court today rapped the Maharashtra government for failing to handle the issues of resident doctors across the state who have been going on indefinite strikes, thus causing problems for patients.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice A K Menon was hearing a PIL by advocate Datta Mane last week against the indefinite strike called by resident doctors on July 2.
Over 4,000 resident doctors had gone on an indefinite strike from July 2 alleging the state government’s indifference to their demands of better pay, security and work hours. The strike was, however, called off on July 3 after talks between the doctors and the government.
“In 2013, we directed the government to set up a temporary mechanism to prevent such strikes. But it appears that the government and its mechanism have failed. Why should people suffer because of the strikes,” the court asked.
The court directed the government to file its affidavit in two weeks explaining the reason behind its failure. The court has also sought the minutes of the meetings held between the government and members of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) since 2013.
In his PIL, advocate Mane sought a direction to the government to invoke provisions of the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the doctors.
