Nearly 40,000 Maharashtra doctors decided on Wednesday to go on an indefinite strike to support their colleagues agitating over the lack of security to them in the government hospitals.
The 40,000-odd doctors, all members of the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association, decided to shun work and join over 4,500 resident doctors in the state, who have been staying away from the duty for the last three days.
"We are protesting the Maharashtra government's decision to ignore our demand. We are only seeking immediate deployment of the security personnels at all the government hospitals and restrict the entry of patients' relatives to only two (per patient).
"Instead of implementing it, the government is issuing warnings to us. Hence, the IMA has decided to extend its support to the resident doctors and go on the indefinite strike," said Dr Sagar Mundada, the chairman of IMA's youth wing.
Earlier in the day, the resident doctors of state-run hospitals in Maharashtra stayed away from work for the third day on Wednesday, prompting the government to order them to report to duty by this evening or lose six months' salary.
Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan ordered the resident doctors to report to duty by 8 PM on Wednesday or lose their six months' salary.
"The resident doctors should report to duty by today evening or they will lose their salary for six months. The students of post graduate courses who are serving as resident doctors will also face the action," Mahajan told reporters.
"We have all the legal provisions to take such steps," he said.
"We have assured them of providing enough security and it will be given by month-end. Now, they should resume the duty," the minister said.
He said patients from the economically weaker sections come to government hospitals and the resident doctors should not play with their lives by taking such an extreme stand.
Medical services in 17 government hospitals in Maharashtra, including four in Mumbai, have been affected because of the protest.