With an aim to stop counselling, the associations raised slogans, putting forth their demands.
Chennai: As the counselling for PG admissions was scheduled to begin on Monday, members of the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association (TNMOA) and Service Doctors’ and Post Graduate Association (SDPGA) protested against high court verdict and counselling.
With an aim to stop counselling, the associations raised slogans, putting forth their demands. “Counselling is being conducted according to only one part of the high court judgment, the other of which is to conduct the PG counselling including 50 per cent government seats in private medical colleges. We needed to know why only one factor was being taken into consideration,” said Dr Ramalingam, organising secretary, SDPGA.
“We literally went into the counselling hall and patiently waited for the selection committee secretary to meet us. However, he left the hall on seeing us, which irked us to no end. We went on to protest against the government and shouted slogans demanding exemption for the state from the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, necessary amendments in Medical Council of India’s regulations to favour the state government policy, and also for the government to promulgate a special ordinance regarding 50 per cent service quota,” he added.
The protests by both associations attracted the attention of police. “We told the police that we wanted to meet the selection committee secretary and they made arrangements for it, ” added Dr Ramalingam.
However, 50 of the 150 protesting members of the TNMOA were arrested and kept in police custody until 4.30 pm, after which they were released. “We have sought to meet health secretary of the state J. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday morning and will put forth our demands,” said Dr Kathirvel, state secretary, TNMOA.
