In Madhya Pradesh, the Habibganj (Bhopal) police on Monday registered a case against Congress MLA PC Sharma and former corporator Guddu Chauhan, after they were seen heckling and humiliating a government doctor on duty. The entire episode was caught on camera which had gone viral on social media in no time.
As per an Indian Express report, JP Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer Yogendra Shrivastav who was heckled by the Congress leaders had filed a written complaint at the Habibganj police station on the day of the incident. The officials after going through CCTV footage and speaking to the eyewitnesses filed an FIR against the Congress leaders under IPC sections 353 (assault of public servant on duty) and 189 (threat of injury to public servant).
Senior doctor Yogendra Shrivastava had immediately tendered his resignation after being humiliated by the politicians despite making all possible attempts to save and serve the Covid-19 patients.
What led to the incident
The Congress leader along with his party workers had barged into the JP hospital after the demise of a 35-year old patient identified as Takhatsingh Sakhya of Kolar colony.
As per reports, Takhatsingh Sakhya was brought to the hospital in a critical condition with an SPO2 level below 30%. The patient could not be admitted due to the shortage of ICU beds but was immediately provided primary treatment. The relatives of the patient were apprised of his condition and were also informed about a shortage of beds in the facility.
However, the patient could not be saved and died in the emergency room of the hospital. His family alleged that Takhatsingh’s death was caused by negligence on the part of the hospital authorities and sought PC Sharma’s intervention.
Aftermath of the incident
Taking cognizance of the matter, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted condemning the shameful act caught in the video. He said in a tweet, “Today, the way some people treated the doctors and the staff …is very shameful. No person has any right to mistreat our doctors.”
https://twitter.com/ChouhanShivraj/status/1380872758125469696?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwIn another video shared by a social media user, senior doctor Yongendra Shrivastav was seen narrating the incident and informing that he no longer wishes to serve after being threatened and humiliated by the politicians. Fearing the repercussions, the doctor said that tomorrow the doctors and the staff can be attacked physically for incidences that are not in their control.
Congress MLA PC Sharma justifies his action
In a statement given to New Indian Express, Congress MLA PC Sharma said, “A supporter of mine spoke loudly to the doctor following which I apologized to him. A patient of my constituency died this afternoon. In such circumstances won’t a sensitive person get angry? A poor patient is being asked to go to a private hospital, nobody is talking about this.”
“The doctor did not talk to me in the morning when the family of the critical patient was trying to get him to talk to me over the phone. Instead, the doctor told them to take the patient to a private hospital,” he alleged.