Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader got a taste of his own medicine after scores of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) doctors, who were on the fourth day of their strike, took brooms and cleaned the road in front of his house.
The “unique” protest was their way of expressing opposition to the rude manner in which they were allegedly treated by the Minister during a meeting, on Wednesday.
The Minister met them on Thursday and promised a hike in their salaries following which the association called off their strike.
“When we told the Minister that our salaries are on par with the group D workers and we needed a hike in salary to support our family, the Minister asked us to quit and take up their jobs,” said Madhukar B.S., secretary of the NRHM Karnataka Ayush Doctors’ Association, said.
He added that there was a huge disparity between the pay in allopathic and AYUSH doctors. However, Mr. Khader said that the State had already recommended to the Union government to hike the salaries to Rs. 28,000, which the Centre refused.
