'Didn't Greet Me Properly': UP Minister Orders Transfer of Doctor Attending Patient
Lucknow: Controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh after the State Minister Sanjeev Gond 'ordered' the transfer of a physically challenged doctor for failing to welcome him when he arrived at a hospital for an inauguration.
Angry over the incident, the Minister ordered that the doctor be transferred out of his constituency and "to some jungle". A video of the minister's angry phone call ordering the transfer of the said doctor has now gone viral. In the video, the doctor could be seen pleading that he was attending to a patient. Further, the minister claimed that the doctor did not know how to behave.
However, the minister later said that the doctor probably did not know about his arrival. "If he knew, his behaviour would have been fine," Mr. Gond said. He also mentioned that all he wanted was the facilities at the hospital to be up to the mark because several poor patients sought treatment there.
The situation soon took a political turn as Congress and Samajwadi Party members started criticising the Minister for his action against the doctor, who was simply doing his job.
Also Read: Viral Video: SDM threatens On-duty Doctor during 250+ Patients OPD
What Happened?
As per the latest media report by NDTV, the controversial incident took place when Mr. Gond, the Minister of State for Social Welfare and Scheduled Caste and Tribal Welfare, reached a Community Health Centre in Dilbulganj in his constituency Obra in Sonbhadra district to inaugurate a solar power plant on Wednesday.
Even though he was welcomed by his supporters, allegedly, the medical superintendent Dr. Ravi Singh did not welcome him. Upon entering the hospital, the Minister asked who the "main" person was and then he dialled the Sonbhadra Chief Medical Officer.
A video from the spot showed the Minister seated on a table with Dr. Singh opposite him and others around them. The Minister could be seen asking the doctor why he was wearing a mask as he pointed out that there were no patients around. To this, Dr. Singh replied "you can never tell".
Thereafter, Minister Gond could be seen calling the CMO and asking, "Who is the main person here? Why have you kept him here? Is there no one else? His behaviour isn't right, because I came to the hospital and he does not know how to meet people."
In between Dr. Singh interjected adding that he had gone to meet the Minister. However, Mr. Gond continued by saying, "Send him outside... to some jungle... why do you keep people like this in my constituency? Send him somewhere else... He does not know how to talk to people. He may be behaving the same way with patients." At this outset, the doctor insisted that he did not behave wrongly with anyone.
However, later, while interacting with the reporters outside the hospital, the Minister added that the doctor did not know he was coming. He told the media, "There is an old hospital in Dibulganj. The doctor did not know I was coming. I don't think he knew, because if he did, his behaviour would have been correct... but my workers welcomed... I reached on time. I have asked the Chief Medical Officer to ensure the facilities in the hospital are good because poor people go there from other areas as well. Anyone who makes poor people suffer, I will do the same to them."
