A day after Punjab Health Minister Vice Chancellor, Dr Raj Bahadur, to lie down on a dirty mattress at the hospital, the official, and his secretary, resigned.
Resignation of Punjab medical official
Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Dr Raj Bahadur, filed his resignation from his post after Punjab Health Minister, Chetan Singh Jouramajra, compelled him to lie on a dirty mattress at a hospital during the minister’s inspection of Faridkot’s Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital. This mattress was being used by patients and was evidently in a damaged and overall poor condition.
The medical official requested the Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann to relieve him from his services and was quoted saying, “I have expressed my anguish to the Chief Minister and said I felt humiliated,” according to the Press Trust of India (PTI). Supporting his superior’s actions, the VC’s secretary, O.P. Chaudhary, also filed for resignation from his post.
According to the report published by PTI, a video clip is being circulated on social media by the health minister’s supporters, that showcases the minister placing a hand on the veteran surgeon’s shoulder as he pointed toward the said mattress located in the hospital’s skin department.
Further, the alleged forcing of the medical officer to lie on the mattress takes place. Dr Bahadur’s response to this order was to explain to the minister that he was not directly responsible for the facilities, to which the AAP leader replied “everything is in your hands.” Additionally, the Minister can be “heard speaking rudely” with the Vice-Chancellor over the general lack of cleanliness in the medical college.
Medical Association’s Call for Minister’s Resignation
Members of the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) Punjab branch are seeking an immediate unconditional apology and resignation from Health Minister Jouramajra. Furthermore, the medical body appealed to the Chief Minister of Punjab to make an immediate intervention and appropriately condemn the Health Minister for his actions.
“There have been similar incidences causing humiliation and harassment to the medical community by many politicians. It causes anguish among the doctors. The dignity of the doctor and the work done by such a senior person must be respected. IMA Demands an immediate unconditional apology and resignation from the Health Minister of Punjab for his misbehavior,” says IMA.
Punjab Health Minister under public scrutiny
A large number of medical organisations have blasted the Punjab Health Minister from the moment the incident was shed light on. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), for instance, released a statement strongly condemning the “unceremonious treatment” meted out to Dr Bahadur.
The Indian Orthopedic Association is one of the other medical bodies that has condemned the health minister’s actions and requested his resignation. The Punjab Congress President, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, has backed this call by tweeting, ” Punjab Health Minister @jouramajra’s humiliating behavior with Dr Raj Bahadur is highly condemnable. Minister must apologize.
“The sort of behavior meted by the Health Minister to VC Baba Farid Medical University Dr Raj Bahadur is absolutely uncalled for. @BhagwantMann ji should take strict action against the arrogant Minister. Otherwise, such behavior will alienate our medical fraternity,” said senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa in a tweet.
The issue delved into the political realm more specifically when, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonewala accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of poorly treating the doctors and “covid warriors” in the name of politics, citing this incident as a demonstration of said treatment.
Consequently, the incident has spurred multiple resignations from various medical bodies in Punjab. Rajiv Devgan, principal doctor of Amritsar Medical College, Medical Superintendent of Guru Nanak Dev hospital and Vice President of Medical College, Kular Duwara have resigned from their respective posts. IMA President, RS Sethi also sought resignation from the health minister and said that they are going to Ludhiana tomorrow following which the next course of action would be taken.
