J&K Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday, 4 September said the demand of medical interns for a stipend hike is fully justified, and that the file seeking an enhancement has already been forwarded to the Union Territory's Finance Department on the directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Itoo made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Bijbehara town of Anantnag district, urging striking interns to call off their protest.

Minister's Appeal to Striking Interns

Itoo appealed to the protesting trainee doctors to end their indefinite strike, assuring them that the government is actively working on their demand. 'I told them that their demand is genuine. We are helping you in this. You don't need to strike,' she said. The minister also drew on her own professional background to underline her empathy, noting that she had completed her MBBS and worked as a practising doctor. 'I have been a doctor myself. I know how many difficulties they have to face and what all they have to go through,' she said.

Current Stipend and What Interns Are Demanding

Medical interns across government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir are currently paid a monthly stipend of ₹12,300 — a figure that has remained unchanged since 2019. The striking doctors are demanding a revision to ₹30,000 per month, nearly two-and-a-half times the existing amount. The interns have also warned of escalating their agitation to a hunger strike if the government fails to respond by Sunday.

Fifth Consecutive Day of Strike

The walkout, now in its fifth consecutive day, has affected services at government medical colleges across the UT. Notably, this is not the first time J&K's medical intern community has raised the stipend issue — the ₹12,300 figure has drawn criticism for years given the cost-of-living pressures in the region and comparable stipend revisions seen in other states.

Minister Hits Back at Political Parties

Itoo also took aim at opposition parties that have extended support to the protesters, alleging that some political actors are exploiting the situation for electoral gain. 'Someone should come and do politics, light a candle and then express their sympathy. They are expressing false sympathy,' she said. She further questioned what concrete steps critics had taken for medical interns during their own tenures in power, alleging they had not revised stipends when they had the opportunity to do so.

What Happens Next

With the Finance Department now in possession of the enhancement file, the timeline for a formal decision remains unclear. If no announcement materialises before Sunday, the interns have threatened to begin a hunger strike, raising the stakes for the Omar Abdullah-led administration to act swiftly.