The Doctor’s Association for Social Equity has announced that the Doctor’s Day, celebrated every year on July 1, will be observed as a Black Day. A press statement released today, signed by General Secretary of the Association G R Ravindranath, states that the birthday of Bharat Ratna Dr. P C Rai is being celebrated every year as Doctor’s Day in India. Since the death of Dr. Rai also falls on July 1, the day is also a day of mourning for the doctors in India.

However, this year the day gains significance, as the Association, based out of Tamil Nadu, has decided to observe it as Black Day stressing their various demands to the Government of Tamil Nadu including revision of salaries of doctors employed by the state government according to the sixth pay commission, promotions, regularization of the contract basis doctors and increasing the stipend of trainee doctors.

The Association has also requested the doctors, trainee doctors and post-graduate medical students to wear black tomorrow while at work as a way to demonstrate their protests.