Mumbai: A dramatic standoff unfolded at the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) office in Chinchpokli on Thursday evening when members of the Integrated Doctors Association (N) allegedly locked themselves inside the council's conference room after spending nearly eight hours awaiting a decision on the registration of BHMS doctors holding the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP). The protest ended only after a senior official from Mantralaya reportedly assured them that the issue would be addressed early next week.
Meeting Convened to Discuss CCMP Registration
According to the association, its representatives had been invited to the MMC office on Thursday to discuss the long-pending registration of CCMP-qualified BHMS practitioners. The meeting followed discussions with Maharashtra Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif at Mantralaya earlier this week.
Dr. Amol Ambekar, Secretary of the Integrated Doctors Association (N), claimed that the delegation reached the MMC office around 10 a.m. and met MMC Registrar Dr. Rakesh Waghmare.
Doctors Refuse to Leave Without Clarity
"At around 1 p.m., Dr. Waghmare left for Mantralaya, telling us he would return with the minutes of the meeting and the government's decision. We waited for hours, but he did not come back," Dr. Ambekar alleged.
He claimed that by 6 p.m., MMC officials asked the delegation to leave and return later, but the representatives refused, insisting on receiving the minutes of the morning meeting and clarity on their demand.
"With no response forthcoming, we locked ourselves inside the conference room and declared that we would not leave until a decision was communicated," Dr. Ambekar said.
The standoff lasted for nearly an hour before, according to the association, a senior Mantralaya official intervened over the phone and assured the protesters that the issue would be resolved by Monday or Tuesday next week. Following the assurance, the delegation ended its protest and vacated the premises.
Dr. Ambekar maintained that the agitation remained peaceful throughout. "No one was harmed, no property was damaged, and the entire incident has been captured on the council's CCTV cameras," he said.
When contacted by The Free Press Journal, MMC Registrar Dr. Rakesh Waghmare said he was not present at the council office when the protest took place. "They were waiting for a decision on the registration issue. The government order as well as the minutes of the meeting are still pending," Dr. Waghmare said. He also confirmed that the Maharashtra Medical Council has not lodged any police complaint in connection with Thursday's incident.
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