Bhubaneswar, May 24: The protesting nursing students of the SCB Medical College and Hospital today threatened to intensify their agitation at Lower PMG from Wednes- day if the government failed to take action against the principal of the nursing college.
The students also demanded immediate lifting of the indefinite closure order on the college that was imposed by the state government on May 12.
"We have been protesting for the past 17 days. We had also met the health minister and the health secretary and urged them to take action against our principal who had made casteist remarks and had slapped one of us. But, the government has done nothing so far. We have decided to stage an indefinite strike from Wednesday if nothing is done by that time," said Amita Sahoo, a nursing student.
The students had accused the nursing college principal, Kajolrani Sinha, of slapping a student who was doing her internship, as she had not tied her hair according to the prescribed norm while working in the hospital ward.
The principal had also allegedly made casteist remarks against the student. Later, the student had lodged a complaint with Mangalabag police station in Cuttack in this regard.
"It is unfortunate that the government has not taken any action yet against the principal who has been harassing a student for the past year. Instead, the authorities decided to shut down the college indefinitely. Our parents will also join us in the agitation against the principal from Wednesday," said another student.
Around 300 nursing students and 95 interns have been on a ceasework since May 8 demanding action against the nursing college principal.
"We know that ceasework is affecting the hundreds of patients who come to SCB for treatment. But, we had no other option and were forced to take the protest path. We urge the government to look into our demands so that we can start dispensing our duties at the earliest," said another protester.
The police have deployed female personnel at the protest site to ensure maintenance of law and order.
"Our personnel will be deployed at the protest spot round the clock to ensure that nothing untoward happens," said deputy commissioner of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack police Satyabrata Bhoi.
