Haryana Bond Policy Row: IMA extends support to protesting MBBS students

New Delhi: Indian Medical Association (IMA) has extended its support to the protesting MBBS students and demanded the government abolish the bond policy.

"We request Haryana CM that a constructive discourse must be established to consider the demand and that the bond system be scrapped/modified," IMA wrote in the letter.

Also Read:Doctors protest against bond policy escalates across the country, Haryana cancels NEET counselling

As per a circular by the State Government of Haryana, Rs 10 lakh annual bond policy was supposed to remain effective for this academic year. The MBBS students were required to pay the amount at the start of every academic year till the completion of the MBBS degree of four and a half years.

Upset with the State Government notice regarding Rs 10 lakh annual bond for students pursuing MBBS courses in the Government medical colleges in Haryana, MBBS students protested against the decision by the state government.

Haryana police officials allegedly fired water canons against the protesting medicos, manhandled them, and forcefully dragged them to the police station.

"The nation is in shock to take note that while exercising the democratic rights to oppose such moves, students became a victim of barbaric police action, where female doctors were manhandled, detained by the state police, and the gathering was showered with water cannons on a cold night. Such treatment by the state government is deeply discouraging, reprehensible and reflects an insensitive and callous attitude and is disrespect to the democratic peaceful protest," the letter said.

Extending its support to the protest by the students, IMA said that it stood with the protesting doctors of Haryana and denounced the state's harshness and oppressive actions.

To oppose the government's move and the brutality by the state police on the students, The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) on Monday observed a black ribbon protest across the country declaring the day as "Black Day".

"The recent incident of police action on the doctors carrying out a peaceful protest against the fee hike in government medical colleges in Haryana is barbaric and highly condemnable. The astute asympathy shown by the law authorities in firing water canons and forcefully dragging and manhandling the protesting doctors is yet another blot on the face of the medical education system in the State of Haryana and this country," FORDA official wrote to the Union Health Minister in this regard.

"FORDA deprecates this heinous act carried out by the police, on the direction of State Government. An unwarranted fee hike in the form of a despicable bond police followed by police action on innocent doctors who have given their best in all circumstances including the COVID pandemic shows the apathy and weak memory the government has," read the letter.

"This incident will not only bring down the morale of doctors in the state in particular and the country in general but will also widen the gap between the doctors and the government. We request your esteemed office to intervene and revoke any kind of legal action against the doctors and help start a channel for dialogue so that the issue is understood and resolved at the earliest," it added.

Also Read:Haryana removes Rs 10 lakh bond for MBBS admission in Govt medical colleges