Punjab: Management at Gian Sagar Medical College takes strict action against staff

Punjab: The ongoing tussle between the staff and the management of the Gian Sagar Medical College took another sharp turn, with the latter issuing termination letters to its staff members.

The said termination letters to its staff members were issuing on WhatsApp, a mobile application. The HR Head have apparently issued the set of termination letters, and has also demanded inaction from the staff protestors to hand over their charge.

As reported by Tribune, the letter reads, “Letter of Termination due to non-cooperation towards functioning of medical college and hospital for the past few days resulting in disturbance and complete closure of student teaching as well as emergency hospital services. As you know that our medical college and hospital is under essential service, so this is gross misconduct tarnishing the image of the institution. So, the management terminated your services with immediate effect. You are requested to hand over your charges immediately to your department HoD.”

Additional reporting by HT on the matter implied that the protesting employees were denied entry to the college at the usual opening hour of 9 am. There was heavy police present at the main gate. However, employees were not surprised at the action as they had been warned before by the management on telephone and, through the termination messages. This, they believe is a tactic to bring them under pressure.

Following which, almost 200 staffers staged a protest outside the main gate, raising slogans against the management. They are even reported to have set tents on the spot; a sign of fighting a long on the matter.

Some staffers also said the state government is going soft on the issue in dealing with the management on the matter. In response to the management claiming that all classes has resumed, the staff members confirmed that only medicine and microbiology classes weer being conducted.

As reported by HT, the management is reported to have assured the students that the state government would bring them guest teachers from the government medical colleges. Medical education secretary Hussan Lal denied the possibility.

The afternoon meeting on the campus between the protesters and director of medical education and research Dr Manjit Kaur Mohi also failed to break the deadlock, since the employees want their pending wages first. College chief executive Manish Jakhar called striking employees’ stand being “inconsiderate to the suffering students”. The classes have been suspended since February 25.