Kanpur:
A strike by thousands of government doctors has crippled medical services in Uttar Pradesh and is now threatening to spread to Delhi. The UP doctors are protesting after their colleagues were arrested in Kanpur over a clash with a Samajwadi Party legislator and his supporters.
Twenty four junior doctors were arrested on Friday after a violent confrontation with Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki's supporters, who allegedly argued with doctors at the Halet hospital over the treatment of a patient.
The MLA's supporters allegedly went on the rampage and doctors claim they were mercilessly beaten and dragged out by the cops for clashing with the lawmaker. The police, meanwhile, claim that the doctors pelted stones at Mr Solanki, who along with his supporters, was getting his vehicle refuelled at a petrol pump.
The police said Mr Solanki was injured on the head and his car was also damaged.
The doctors were granted bail this morning, but are refusing to leave jail till Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav acts against his legislator. They also want the superintendent of police of the district to be removed for what they call his "highhandedness."
In solidarity with them, doctors across the state are boycotting work today and OPD and emergency services have been crippled in government hospitals. The doctors say they will stop emergency services as well if the demands are not met. In Kanpur, 300 doctors at a medical college have resigned.
This morning, the Indian Medical Association or IMA has said that if the UP issue is not resolved by tomorrow, Wednesday, they will call for an all-India strike.
Akhilesh Yadav has appealed to the doctors to call off the strike.