Bengaluru: Some 1500 doctors across the state who work in some 225 government hospitals 20 in Bengaluru are threatening to put in their papers this coming Monday on October 27, unless the government axes the health secretary.
Sources close to the government said that the doctors, unlike what they have claimed in public, where they have said they would quit unless their remuneration was revised, have a completely different axe to grind.
The sources explained that with the government agreeing to meet many of their demands including a salary revision, there was no need for them to quit. “The reason for their threat is different.
Their president and another office-bearer went to London without obtaining the government's permission. They were absent from duty for over a month.
On their return, when the secretary followed due procedure and served show cause notices on them, they tried to request the government to treat their absence under Special Casual Leave which was turned down by the government.
This had irked a few office-bearers who put forth their demand to change the secretary. When the government refused to change the secretary or director, the government doctors announced they would quit," the sources said.
Health minister U.T Khader said the only demand which could not be met was the demand for withdrawing the health department hospitals from the administration of zilla panchayats. “Otherwise, we agreed to raise the salary and other demands,” he said.
On the threat to resign on October 27, Mr Khader said that he would wait till October 27 and would then react. “We will make our move once they take a call,” he said.
