Hyderabad: Injustice cry by Dalit doctors; plan to up the ante soon

Hyderabad: The government is there to implement the law, not to follow it. It will penalise the citizens if rules are violated, but there is no mechanism to fine the government if it flouts rules. The government is posing as being kind to Dalits by introducing the "Dalit Bandhu" scheme for their empowerment. However, it has been ignoring them in the government sector for years.

This is the stand of doctors from the SC, ST and Girijan communities who are planning to meet Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on "injustice" done to them. They intend to protest if their demands are not be fulfilled.

Associations of these communities have demanded the government to immediately remove the director of Health and Family Welfare, (DPH&FW) Director Medical Education (DME), Commissioner of Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP), directors of Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS), vice-chancellor of Kaloji Narayan Rao University of Health Sciences, as they were appointed "against the law".

The associations claim that despite being juniors and lowest in the list, the DME and the DPH have been promoted. Those who are seniors and top the list belonging to the Dalit community, have been pushed back. The doctors demand appointment of Dalits to these posts, as many tops the list of promotions and have been waiting for years.

According to the SC, ST Government Doctors' Association, the government has 'violated rules by appointing them as HoDs and in-charges and ignored seniors and well experienced belonging to the Dalit community. Speaking to Hans India, Dr Babu Rao, president of the association, said "Dalit employees were ignored after State bifurcation and did not get promotions for the last seven years. Promotions have been given to juniors, ignoring seniors who continue in posts for years, due to which many are close to retirement."

"We have been representing since 2019 and interacted with all higher officials, but the issue has not been resolved. The government has promised empowerment of Dalits across the State, but what about the employees working in the health sector, Dr Rao questioned.