The protesting staff of Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in the city, who have set up a parallel out-patient department (OPD) on the premises of the hospital since Tuesday, started a relay hunger strike on Wednesday.
As many as 925 patients were seen on Wednesday in the parallel OPD. At the same time, 50 employees participated in the relay hunger strike.
A.C. Vinod Kumar, president, Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha Employees’ Association which is spearheading the protest, said that their main demand is that the management scrap the additional appointment of nearly 700 non-teaching staff.
“The management had recruited nearly 700 non-teaching staff whose services are not required while regular staff have been denied allowances in their salary for the last two years. The requirement is only for about 220 personnel. We want the excess appointments to be scrapped,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Vokkaligara Sangha has issued a show-cause notice to six of the protesters, including Dr. Vinod Kumar, on the charge of instigating the protest. Moreover, holding a protest within the hospital premises is in violation of rules, the notice said.
