Police baton charged members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Tuesday while they took to streets to protest against the arrest of junior doctors in Lucknow.
Several BJYM members were injured while the police resorted to baton charge of the protesters.
BJYM member, Abhijaat Mishra, accused the central government of autocratic governance.
"The doctor's strike has taken its toll on lives. The doctors have been staging protests, all to no avail. The government has been exercising autocratic rule over India. Today's incident is yet another example. When we protested against the brutalities which were recently inflicted upon doctors, we were accorded the same treatment. Police resorted to baton charge and many of our members, including women, were badly injured," said Mishra.
Meanwhile, 200 doctors from Agra Medical College have resigned, intensifying the strike.
Doctors from medical colleges in Delhi also protested by observing a 'black badge' day in support for the cause of the doctor's strike in Kanpur.
Though the strike added to woes of patients and a few lost their lives, the patients voiced their opinions in their support.
"Even if we are not treated on time, we still support their cause," said a local patient, Ramchandra admitted in Agra medical college.
The doctors on strike are demanding the release of the arrested junior doctors after a clash with a legislator.
The stand-off started when a patient approached Samajwadi Party leader Irfan Solanki, to be accorded preferential treatment by hospital authorities, but doctors refused to pay heed to the recommendation.
Later, Solanki walked into the hospital and a heated argument followed with the doctors. Some doctors allegedly attacked Solanki, resulting in head injuries to him.
As a result, police baton charged the doctors and many junior doctors were arrested in raids conducted in hostels after the incident. This led to resentment among the doctors and they called for strike in a few hospitals, which took a toll on five lives.
The doctors also accused the police of planting firearms in the hostels and victimising medical students.
The protesting doctors have refused to end their agitation until their peers are released from police custody.
An investigation into the matter has been ordered by the state government.
