Bihar Health Services Association members on Sunday condemned Vyasji, principal secretary, health department, for allegedly using unparliamentary language against Purnea civil surgeon Dr R.C. Mandal during a video-conference on May 11. They have announced a daylong strike on June 11 in case Vyasji is not transferred by then.

“Vyasji used unparliamentary language, unexpected from a person of his stature,” said BHSA spokesperson Dr. Ranjit Kumar. “Junior administrative officers, including non-gazetted ones, are defaming us in the name of monitoring. All contractual doctors come under pay band-4, equal to the rank of joint secretary, but junior administrative officers much below the rank monitor their work. This is maligning our reputation,” he said.

Sources said the, principal secretary, health, while talking to the Purnea civil surgeon through video-conferencing on May 11th, asked him to purchase drugs for district hospitals for the next 6 months to avoid a drug crisis. But Mandal cited non-availability of funds at which Vyasji directed him to use NRHM funds. When Mandal told him that using NRHM funds would create problems at the time of audit, Vyasji was fuming with anger and allegedly abused him using unparliamentary language.

BHSA has also sought enforcing of the 2008 and 2013 agreements BHSA members had with the state government.