Mumbai: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has warned that its members will surrender their Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) registrations if any other homeopath in the state is brought under the council as a result of the protest at Mantralaya.The homeopathic associations have decided to march from Azad Maidan to Mantralaya in a bid to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. This time, they don’t just want the MMC to resume registrations. “We want fitness certificates issued by AYUSH practitioners to be accepted by corporate entities and by government institutions,” said Amol Ambekar, president of an AYUSH association.The issue stems from a govt resolution released earlier this month that allowed homeopaths to be registered with MMC based on a one-year certificate course, effectively allowing them to prescribe modern medicines.So far, MMC has granted only one registration to a Mankhurd-based homeopath. There was strong pushback from the medical community, including a statewide strike by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), which came to an end on the directions of Bombay High Court.IMA state president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said the hearings in the case are still ongoing in the court, with a verdict expected this month. “It is unacceptable that homeopaths have been trying to exert such pressure while the matter is sub-judice.”The homeopaths have also called for suspension of MMC administrator Dr Vinky Rughwani. Dr Kulkarni said thousands of doctors under IMA’s wing will surrender their medical registrations if action is taken against Dr Rughwani or in case additional registrations are granted.“We demand that govt take suo-motu legal action against the office bearers of homeopathic associations who are interfering with MMC functions and exerting unlawful pressure on its administrators,” said Dr Kulkarni.
