Srinagar, Sep 06: Calling for dialogue rather than coercion, Congress leader and Srinagar District Congress Committee president Dr Audil Farooq Mir has urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to immediately engage with protesting interns and address what he described as their “already accepted genuine grievances”.
Mir, in a statement issued here, said threats, intimidation or warnings of disciplinary action could not be the Government’s response to young doctors raising legitimate concerns, and called for an official written and time-bound commitment on resolving their demands.
“Threats, intimidation and warnings of disciplinary action cannot be the Government’s response to the already accepted genuine grievances of our young doctors,” Mir said.
He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Health Minister Sakina Itoo to intervene immediately and open direct dialogue with the protesting interns.
Mir said he had learnt that the interns were allegedly being pressured to resume duties or face disciplinary action, while stressing that the reports of such pressure were yet to be officially confirmed.
“If true, such an approach would only deepen the sense of alienation among young doctors who are seeking a resolution to their legitimate demands,” he said.
Calling for a conciliatory approach, the Congress leader said the interns deserved to be heard with dignity rather than pressured into silence.
“These interns deserve dialogue, dignity and a solution, not pressure for raising their voice,” Mir said.
He maintained that failure to listen to the interns or address their concerns would amount to a serious injustice, particularly under an elected Government that was expected to remain responsive to the grievances of the people.
Mir appealed to the Government to provide the protesting doctors with a clear roadmap for resolving their demands, including a specific timeline and written assurance, rather than relying on administrative pressure.
“Don’t threaten them. Talk to them. Give them a timeline. Resolve the issue,” he said.
The Congress leader’s intervention comes amid the ongoing concerns of interns, whose demands have brought questions of working conditions, professional rights and administrative assurances into focus.
Mir said a democratic Government must demonstrate sensitivity towards young professionals and create space for negotiation whenever genuine grievances arise.
He urged the Chief Minister and Health Minister to personally intervene before the situation escalates, saying a timely dialogue could help resolve the issue without allowing differences to further widen between the Government and the protesting interns.
