Chennai: Even as the police continued to round up agitating medical college students in various parts of Tamil Nadu on May 8 for demonstrating and blocking traffic, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association (TNGDA) has also decided to oppose the government's move to set up new private medical colleges by observing a one day strike on May 14 and an indefinite strike from May 21, if need arose.

"The TNGDA executive committee at an emergent meeting held today decided to observe a "needle down" strike, except in emergency cases, from May 10, a one-day strike on May 14 and an indefinite strike from May 21 if the need arose," the Association President Dr K Prakasam said on May 8.

Denying charges that the agitation by medicos was politically motivated, he asserted that doctors were not divided on political lines. "No politician can influence doctors," he said.

Expressing unhappiness over the government's threat to invoke Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the doctors if they went on strike, he said, "We are doctors dealing with lives of patients. The Indian Medical Association and even private doctors are supporting our cause".

Referring to a Tamil Nadu government order of August 13, 2001, stating that the government had constituted a committee to suggest norms for issue of Essentiality Certificate to start Medical and Dental Colleges in the state, Prakaasam said the association was not aware of it till recently and demanded withdrawal of the government order (GO).

PTI