Many hospitals and medical colleges across the country have come in support of doctors protesting in West Bengal. (Photo: Reuters)

As scores of doctors in West Bengal continue their agitation against the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, at least 14 government hospitals in Delhi are observing a symbolic strike on Saturday as a sign of protest against the attack on an intern doctor at NRS Medical College in Kolkata.

Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) president Sumedh Sandanshiv declared the same in a statement released by the medical body.

Some of the hospitals are RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Employees' State Insurance Model Hospital, Dada Dev Matri Avum Shishu Chikitsalaya, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Hindu Rao Hospital, Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya and Railways Hospital.

While all key departments like casualty and emergency services will not be hampered, it is likely that routine operations will be hit due to the symbolic strike.

FORDA has also warned that it would intensify the agitation if the demands of the doctors protesting in Kolkata are not honoured by the Mamata-led government.

"As president FORDA, I assured our colleagues in West Bengal that all Delhi doctors are with you guys and if we needed will intensify our agitation. The simple demand from government is to ensure safety of our doctors. If needed CRPF should deploy for protection of hospital and doctors. Rest of the updates will come with time," said Sumedh Sandanshiv.

Meanwhile, doctors of AIIMS Delhi on Saturday called off their protest in solidarity with Bengal doctors and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Mamata Banerjee to take swift action and resolve the ongoing dispute.

The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) at AIIMS said if the demands of West Bengal doctors are not met within 48 hours, they would be forced to carry out an indefinite strike. Despite calling off the protests, AIIMS doctors would continue to wear red-stained bandages and helmets as a sign of protest.

"AIIMS issues an ultimatum of 48-hours to the West Bengal government to meet the demands of the striking doctors there, failing which we would be forced to resort to an indefinite strike at AIIMS, New Delhi. We hope that our colleagues across the nation will join us in this hour of need," the statement read.

The statement from the AIIMS RDA comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave doctors a four-hour ultimatum to call off the strike. Mamata asked the junior doctors in Bengal to either withdraw the protest or vacate the hostels.

However, this led to an even larger retaliation by doctors, who have slammed Mamata for her comments. Many on social media have also come in support of the doctors and slammed the state government for not meeting their demands.

Earlier on Friday, doctors at several hospitals across the country went on a strike to stand in solidarity with the protesting doctors in West Bengal. The doctors in West Bengal have demanded better security arrangements outside hospitals to prevent incidents of violence against doctors.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called a nationwide strike on June 17 to demand safe working conditions for doctors across the country.

The situation in West Bengal continues to remain tense as several doctors have either gone on strike or resigned from their positions.

While Mamata had invited protesting doctors for a meeting to discuss the situation on Friday, the doctors have made it clear that they will not call off the strikes till their demand is honoured.