Resident doctors of Hindu Rao went on indefinite strike on Monday over non- payment of salary.

However, they set up a temporary Out Patients Department (OPD) in the campus for patients but did not join their respective departments and other duties.

The doctors also wrote to the President of India seeking his permission for “suicide”. In the letter, the doctors said, “Our situation has turned pathetic and we are unable to take care of our families. We do not even have money for food so we seek your permission for suicide.”

The doctors demanded that the hospital should be handed over to the Central government as the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) is unable to run it smoothly.

The doctors claimed that they have not been paid salaries for the last three months and there is no solution in the sight.

“It is not just a question of three months salaries. We need a permanent solution of the problem and the authorities should think of an alternative to run the hospital properly or hand it over to the Central Government. It just can not go like this,” said Dr Rahul Chaudhary, president of hospital’s Resident Doctors Association.

Meanwhile, a senior NMC official said that the salaries of resident doctors were delayed because the funds were not released by Delhi Government on time.

“We are putting all the efforts to release their salary. Salaries will be paid as soon it is possible,” he said.

“The Emergency department is working properly and patient care is our primary objective,” the official said, adding that the facilities at outdoor patients’ department (OPD) and wards of the 1,200 bed hospital were affected partially due to the strike, the official said.

However, Doctors alleged that the hospital authorities prevented them from setting up OPD but still they treated patients inside the hospital premises.   

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition on Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta questioned the silence of Delhi Chief Minister Arivind Kejriwal over the issue. He accused the AAP government of step-motherly treatment towards the municipal corporations. 

Visited by thousands of patients’ every day, Hindu Rao is the largest hospital operated by NMC. A medical college was also opened by the civic body in 2013.

However, the BJP-ruled NMC blames the Delhi Government for its financial crisis. The NMC has been facing acute hardships in regular payment of salaries to its employees as it has been denied funds by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Government.

The corporation has been unable salaries to the sanitation workers alongwith the doctors.

Meanwhile NMC Commissioner Varsha Joshi said that the Delhi Government has released the first quarter Basic Tax Allocation(Rs 206.5 crore) for the current financial year, which was due in April and the salary of doctors will be credited in the morning.

“Grateful to Delhi Govt for finally having released the first quarter Basic Tax Allocation for the current financial year, which was due in April, over a month and a half after the file was processed within the concerned Del Govt department. Hope other dues are also released soon,” she tweeted.

“The amounts required for the salaries of JRs and SRs have been transferred to the DDO of the hospital as soon as received in the @NorthDmc account.

Since this happened late evening, the salaries will be credited to the individual accounts in the morning,” she said in another tweet.  Officials said once the salaries are credited on Tuesday, the strike may end.