JAMMU: BJP Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday extended its support to the striking MBBS and BDS interns at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, calling their demand for enhancement of monthly stipend genuine, justified and deserving of immediate consideration by the government.
On the directions of J&K BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma, BJP MLA Ramgarh and former Health Minister Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal and MLA Jammu West Arvind Gupta, along with party workers, visited GMC Jammu and met the interns who have been on an indefinite strike for the past six days. The interns of GMC Jammu and GMC Srinagar are seeking an increase in their stipend in view of their intensive clinical responsibilities and the substantial rise in the cost of living.
The striking interns apprised the BJP MLAs of their demands and handed over a copy of their charter. They informed the leaders that a delegation had already met the Chief Minister and the Health Minister and was assured that the matter would be resolved within four weeks. However, the interns stated that their request for a written assurance was not accepted.
Interacting with the media, Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal said that BJP fully supports the interns’ genuine demand and urged the government to address the matter with sensitivity and urgency. He said that MBBS/BDS students undergo four-and-a-half years of rigorous academic training before entering the mandatory one-year rotatory internship, during which they shoulder demanding clinical responsibilities in wards, operation theatres and emergency services, often working round the clock.
Dr Manyal pointed out that the last enhancement in the stipend was made in 2019, and no revision has taken place for the past seven years despite significant changes in living costs. He stressed that the stipend should be brought at par with neighbouring States and Union Territories, where interns are receiving around Rs 25,000–30,000 per month.
Arvind Gupta termed the demand both genuine and humane, stating that those serving patients at the frontline of the healthcare system deserve fair and dignified compensation. He urged the government to take an immediate decision so that the interns can return to their clinical duties without further disruption to patient care.
The BJP MLAs emphasized that while interns have a legitimate right to raise their concerns, their prolonged absence from clinical services can also place additional pressure on an already burdened healthcare system. They therefore called upon the government to engage with the interns constructively and settle the issue at the earliest.
