New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday warned the striking government resident doctors of "harsh steps" after they decided to continue with their agitation even after the government accepted their all demands.
"We have agreed to all demands of docs. I personally intervened. Yet they are not calling off strike. Why? What else is left now?" (sic).
We hv agreed to all demands of docs. I personally intervened. Yet they r not calling off strike. Why? What else is left now?(1/4)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 23, 2015
Patients suffering.I appeal 2 docs 2 return 2 duty.I am their biggest well wisher.If dey have more demands, v will agree to them also(2/4)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 23, 2015
But causing inconvenience to public is wrong. We hv been forced to invoke ESMA(3/4)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 23, 2015
"If they (doctors) still don't return, then in public interest, we will be left with no option but to take harsh steps," Kejriwal wrote in a series of tweets on Twitter today.
If they still don't return, then in public interest, we will be left wid no option but to take harsh steps(4/4)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 23, 2015
Government doctors launched an indefinite strike yesterday demanding adequate stocks of life-saving drugs, security at the workplace and timely payment of salaries, etc. Delhi government said it had accepted their all demands but, the doctors continued with the strike demanding concrete measures as they claimed that the "government has in the past given similar assurances but failed to deliver".
Making an appeal to striking doctors to return to work, Kejriwal wrote, "Patients are suffering. I appeal to doctors to return to duty. I am their biggest well-wisher. If they have more demands, we will agree to them also."
Kejriwal said government was forced to impose the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to end the strike.
"Causing inconvenience to public is wrong. We have been forced to invoke ESMA," he wrote.
