Nurses arrested in GMCH for demanding pay hike

This morning, Police have arrested as many as 100 nurses who were on strike in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for the past two days.

The All Assam Nurses' Association (AANA) activists have demanded to amend the anomalies of the salary structure published in the ROP of the 7th pay commission, revive the designation of the staff nurse, implementation of 'same post same salary' and publishing of service rule of the staff nurse.

Police arrested the protesters, when the nurses defied the order to resume duty. Nurses shouted slogans during the protest against the BJP-led Assam government and Health minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Nurses were on strike since November 26, but there was no response from the government.

It may be mentioned that for the past few years, nurses were on strike for their legitimate demands. Medical services were badly hit, but instead of paying attention to their demands, the state government is sending them behind bars.

The state government is neither concerned about the patients nor the nurses.

Reportedly, on Tuesday, State Health Minister Pijush Hazarika called a meeting with the protesters to solve their problems, after-which the representative body of AANA visited the office of Pijush Hazarika. But, at the last moment the minister had cancelled his appointment with AANA's representative body.