AHMEDABAD: The healthcare workers’ strike in Gujarat has entered its third consecutive day, with employees remaining undeterred despite the state government invoking The Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA). The government’s attempt to curb protests near the Chief Minister’s office in Gandhinagar has proven ineffective, as health services across the state continue to be severely disrupted.Tensions escalated further when approximately 300 healthcare workers, who attempted to meet Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at the Secretariat, were detained by police. The striking employees, including supervisors and medical staff under the Panchayat administration, have been demanding inclusion in technical cadres, grade-pay revisions, and the cancellation of departmental examinations.The state government implemented ESMA in response to concerns over the disruption of essential health services. Under this stringent law, the government can take severe measures against striking employees, including the termination of fixed-salary workers. However, rather than deterring the protestors, the move has only intensified dissatisfaction among them.
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