Srinagar, Mar 20 (KNS): The students union of the Government Dental College and Hospital (GDCH) Srinagar has hailed the decision of the J&K Government of attaching the head of the orthodontics department, Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq.
It is a welcome step towards streamlining the academics and administration of the GDCH, which has taken a hit over the past several years. We thank Health Minister, Bali Baghat, Minister of State for Health and Medical Education, Asiea Naqash, deputy commissioner Srinagar Syed Abid Rashid, SDM Srinagar, Doctors Association Kashmir, J&K Society of Dental Surgeons, J&K Doctors Coordination Committee, and last but not the least students and journalists for their continuous support to our just cause and protest.
However, the students union has demanded that Government should issue a formal order to appoint a permanent academic in charge/guide for both undergraduate and postgraduate students of the orthodontics department.
“Our protest will continue until the government issues an order to appoint permanent academic in charge of the Orthodontics department in place of Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq,” said a spokesperson of the students union.
The spokesperson said that the GDCH administration has adversely affected over the years due to a caretaker Principal, Dr. Reyaz Farooq since 2004.
“In the interest of the GDCH administration and academics, we demand government should make a permanent arrangement for the post of Principal,” he said.
The inaction on part of the Principal forced us to go for the strike, he said.
We reiterate that Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq was harassing and forcing us to do his personal work including car wash, ferrying family members to airport and kids to school, and also do his work at his private clinic ‘Smile King’ at Karan Nagar locality in Srinagar.
We protested against the abuses and physical torture of Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq for over a month from January 4 after he slapped a postgraduate doctor in front of patients which was beyond our threshold of tolerance.
After the assurances from the Principal and in the interest of the patient care, we called off the protest that action will be taken against the erring doctor Mushtaq.
However, till date, no action has been taken by Dr. Farooq, who is acting as caretaker Principal from 2004. “We were forced by the inaction of the principal to come on roads to protest. We appeal the government that it is imperative for the development of the GDCH that Principal should be removed immediately,” he said. (KNS)