Puttur: Indian Medical Association (IMA), Puttur division has demanded action against Zilla Panchayat President Meenakshi Santhigod for barging into the Puttur Government Hospital and unnecessarily taking a duty doctor to task.
It may be recalled that the ZP Chief had paid a courtesy visit to the hospital on June 29 and a video of her taking duty doctor, Dr Archana to task went viral.
IMA, Puttur Unit Dr Ganesh Prasad Mudraje said that the Zilla Panchayat chief had come to the hospital to meet and inquire about the health of a minor girl who was reportedly assaulted by the police. However, he said that the ZP chief wanted to gain mileage out of her visit and hence went on to meet Dr Archana and raised the issue of why the doctor did not visit the girl when she was in the ward.
Mudraje alleged that Meenakshi Shanthigod also got the episode videographed and released on social media, thereby defaming the doctor.
“The doctor is seen patiently answering the ZP chief and saying that she was attending other patients, but the latter was in no mood to be pacified by the answers. She only attempted to create a rift between people. The doctors treat patients irrespective of their caste, creed, class and religion. However, in this case, subtle attempts have been made to create tension between the people, specifically because the minor being treated in the hospital is a Dalit,” he pointed out.
Mudraje said that the Puttur Women’s Police did not file a strong case because the person against whom the complaint was being lodged is an elected representative. “If justice is denied in this case, we will take up an intense protest,” he warned.
