New Delhi : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) will stage protests nationwide against the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India.

IMA has strongly opposed the proposed National Medical Commission Bill 2016, citing concern that the NMC will have non-elected members nominated by the government.

As a part of the protest, all the 30 state branches and 1,765 local branches of IMA will stage a 2-hour dharna in every district in India from 11 AM to 1 PM on November 16.

Thousands of doctors across the country will participate in the dharna 'Stop National Medical Commission IMA Satyagraha', press meet and will hand over a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister to the respective district magistrates.

"The dharna is organised as a reminder to the government to intervene and sort out the major problems faced by the medical professionals," Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Elect and Secretary General of IMA, said.

"Not only the interministerial committee slept over the issues, the Centre has gone ahead with scrapping of MCI and is replacing it with a totally nominated body called National Medical Commission. The bill is anti people in character," said Dr A Marthanda Pillai, Immediate Past National President, IMA.

Dr Rakesh Gupta, President of DMA, and Dr Ashwani Goyal, Secretary of DMA, in a joint statement said Ayurvedics, Homoeopaths and others will get registration in modern medicine through Schedule IV of NMC.

"This will affect the patient care and patient safety. We will give six weeks to the government to meet our demands or will be forced to take further course of action," it said.

"If this anti-people legislation is allowed to become a law, it will not only be injustice to future generation of doctors it will also be a treason against the people.

"The ulterior motive of this bill is to bring in indigenous medicine in an inappropriate way by diluting and controlling modern medicine: All by back door and deceit. It becomes a bounden duty on IMA to stop National Medical Commission Bill," said Dr Aggarwal.