JAMMU, Oct 20: Senior BJP leader and former Sarpanch Adv Devraj Sharma has expressed serious concern over the resumption of the strike by medical interns across Jammu and Kashmir, accusing the government of failing to honour its commitment to resolve their long-pending demand for a hike in monthly stipends within the stipulated timeframe.
Sharma said the decision of medical interns to resume their agitation after waiting beyond the government’s promised 30-day period reflected a disturbing gap between official assurances and administrative action. He maintained that a government committed to public welfare must demonstrate its seriousness through timely decisions and tangible results rather than repeated assurances that fail to translate into action.
Referring to the September 8 meeting in which the government reportedly sought a month’s time to address the interns’ demand, Sharma said that allowing the matter to remain unresolved even after the promised period had elapsed had understandably deepened frustration among young medical professionals.”When the government asks young medical professionals to suspend their agitation on the assurance that their genuine concerns will be addressed within a specified timeframe, that commitment must be honoured. Repeated delays damage public confidence and raise legitimate questions about administrative accountability,” he said.
Adv Sharma stressed that medical interns were not seeking special privileges but a fair and reasonable consideration of their remuneration in view of their responsibilities, professional training and contribution to patient care.Sharma warned that prolonged uncertainty surrounding the stipend issue could aggravate tensions between the medical fraternity and the administration, with potentially serious implications for healthcare delivery if the strike continued.
Adv Sharma said medical interns formed an important part of the functioning of teaching hospitals and medical colleges, and any prolonged disruption could place additional pressure on healthcare institutions, medical staff and patients, particularly those dependent on government hospitals for affordable treatment.”Healthcare is an essential public service, and patients must not be made to suffer because a legitimate administrative issue remains unresolved. The government must act urgently to prevent the situation from escalating and ensure that patient care is protected,” he asserted.
Reacting to allegations by representatives of the interns that they were subjected to humiliating remarks during a meeting with officials of the Health Department, Sharma said that the concerns deserved serious and impartial examination.He observed that public servants and elected representatives were duty-bound to listen to young professionals with dignity and sensitivity, especially when they approached the administration to seek an update on an issue for which a time-bound assurance had reportedly been given.
“Medical education and training in government institutions are supported by public resources and taxpayers’ money. They cannot be presented as a personal favour to students. Young doctors earn their qualifications through merit, years of rigorous study and demanding clinical training. Their concerns deserve a respectful hearing, not dismissive treatment,” he said.Sharma added that the allegations should be examined objectively and that accountability must be established wherever any official misconduct is found.
The BJP leader urged the government, the Health Department and the Finance Department to coordinate immediately and bring the issue to a logical conclusion. He called for a clear decision on the stipend revision, followed by the issuance and implementation of the necessary government order, in accordance with applicable rules and financial procedures.He also appealed to the medical interns to maintain dialogue with the administration while ensuring that the interests of patients remained protected during the agitation.
Sharma said the episode had implications beyond the stipend dispute, as the government’s handling of the matter would influence the confidence of aspiring doctors and other young professionals in the administration’s ability to honour commitments and respond to legitimate grievances.He maintained that a responsive government must bridge the gap between promises and implementation, adding that timely intervention would help restore confidence, ease tensions and prevent an avoidable confrontation from prolonging the disruption of medical services in Jammu and Kashmir.