Thursday, June 15 2006 14:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Resident doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today (June 15, 2006)began a signature campaign demanding the resigations of Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and the institute's dean.

The campaign was started in the wake of Government's decision to withhold the salaries of doctors who participated in the anti-reservation strike last month, residents doctors association representatives said here.

Acting tough on the medicos, AIIMS authorities had on Tuesday issued notices to resident doctors stating that they would not be paid any salary for the period they were on strike since no work was done.

Resident doctors said government had assured them that no punitive action would be taken against them for participating in the strike.

However, Ramadoss yesterday said not paying salary to doctors for the strike period was not a punishment.