DailyPost 2890
HAS DOCTORS STRIKE / CAUSE REACHED A DEAD END?
Have we reached the post-governance age of Indian democracy? In this age the fruits of political / bureaucratic or any power emanating out of official position is to be exploited to the hilt, for personal gains. It is in continuation of election manifestos having no meaning and democracy reaching the much famed “Guarantee Phase”. There is so much obsession with winning elections, vote banks, beneficiaries, using media / social media for this purpose, that nothing else counts. The battle of parties, their leaders and spokespersons have made it crystal clear that they have neither anything to do with the gruesome offence nor with the plight of the medical fraternity.
The doomsday scenario is that the powers that be, don’t have the capability to set right anything and take it to robust functioning. Someone will have to own and lead. Out of the battery of dozens of lawyers, no one defending the powers that be is ready to take the challenge of cleaning the Augean stables, which is precisely their creation. No big or supposedly responsible leader is engaging with the medico associations on a continuous basis. Backend all sorts of the pressures would be in full play. The state government is conspicuous by its absence.
Nobody is interested in talking to them either. The CBI, health ministry and Suo-moto Supreme Court hearing, CISF deployment at RG Kar Hospital, announced a task force and next hearing on the 5th Sept 2024, what next is the question all of us need to ask? Where have we reached in the investigation, what tangible results can be expected in a given timeline. No timelines please, the unsaid government stand. Once the chargesheet is filed, no timeline please is the standard judiciary stand too. When will central legislation be passed, no one knows. There is confirmation either. Otherwise, we find ordinances being promulgated at the fall of a hat.
What is happening to the other demands, no one knows? What is the government’s security / facilities blueprint for healthcare institutions that needs to be spelt out? What was the background check of the accused civic volunteer, if any, will give you an idea of their understating of security. So, the ploy is to put the docs on the backfoot, that the patients are being inconvenienced. That’s true, but who is responsible? The mess at RG Kar was known and created one. If the docs call off the strike or leave their cause, what is the likelihood of them getting what they are demanding for and deserve, is anyone’s guess.
FEELING STATELESS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOVERNMENTS IS A SLAP ON DEMOCRACY.
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.