After the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) temporarily withdrew its indefinite strike on Friday, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar announced that the government’s earlier order on “break in service” would be withdrawn.
But, transfer orders issued to over 70 striking doctors — mostly organisers of the strike — would not be revoked, officials said.
An official of the Health Department confirmed that the “transfer orders will stay”.
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“The Minister has withdrawn the order for break in service but the transfer orders will not be revoked,” the official added.
Doctors affiliated to FOGDA launched an indefinite strike on October 25, and after seven days, announced a temporary withdrawal of the strike.
A. Ramalingam, convenor of FOGDA, said the decision to call off the strike was taken after the Chief Minister made appeals on two occasions on Thursday. “The Health Minister has been urging us to withdraw the strike. We were also informed through our directors that the State Cabinet will be discussing our demands. So, we decided to temporarily withdraw the strike, and wait for the Cabinet’s decision,” he explained. The Health Department official added that the doctors have intimated their decision to withdraw the strike in writing and have sought an appointment with the Health Minister and Health Secretary.”
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Doctors said that usually, to quell such protests, the government would issue transfer orders to State-level organisers of the protest. “Usually, such action will be taken on a maximum of five State-level organisers. In this case, the government has not spared even district-level organisers and office-bearers. Each and every office-bearer has been transferred, and charges framed under Section 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules. Some of them were shocked as their post was replaced almost immediately,” one of the organisers said.
Some of the organisers, working in institutions under the Directorate of Medical Education, were transferred to district hospitals under the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services. The organiser pointed out that some of them were faculty. The group of doctors, who were on a fast, were also issued transfer orders.