Mumbai: Shiv Sena corporator threatens doctors, apologises later

A video went viral on Wednesday over an argument between Shiv Sena corporator and education committee chairman Sandhya Doshi with healthcare staff of civic-run Bhagwati Hospital

A video went viral on Wednesday over an argument between Shiv Sena corporator and education committee chairman Sandhya Doshi with healthcare staff of civic-run Bhagwati Hospital. Doshi in the video is seen claiming a staff member from the hospital misbehaved with a Covid-19 patient from her electoral ward.

HT Image

Doshi, who is a corporator from Gorai and second-time chairman of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) education committee is said is heard saying in the video, “There was misbehaviour by the doctor with the patient, and hence I have come here. I can make 10 doctors like you stand here at the hospital.”

The incident took place on Tuesday.

In response to this, the healthcare staff at Bhagwati Hospital released a separate video threatening to resign, protesting Doshi’s behaviour. A doctor in the video is heard saying, “We are working under constant stress and are daily seeing our colleagues falling ill to Covid-19. In all this, if someone expects us to pay attention to a particular patient, it will not be possible. We request whoever claims that they can get 10 doctors like us to get them. We will resign post this.”

However, both the staff at Bhagwati Hospital and Doshi later said that they have sorted the issue. Dr P Jadhav, head at Bhagwati Hospital, said, “The issue has been sorted out between the doctors and the corporator. All doctors are on duty and there is no question of any strike or resignation.”

Doshi told HT, “I had gone to Bhagwati Hospital due to inappropriate behaviour with a Covid-19 patient from my ward. My ward has the highest number of cases, and it is my duty to handle them. However, whatever is seen in the video has taken place in the heat of the moment. Post that, the patient was hospitalised, I have apologised to the staff. We both exchanged something that was out of panic, and hence I apologised to the staff.”

Meanwhile, BJP on the other hand has demanded action against Doshi. Pratik Karpe, BJP Corporator and education committee member of the BMC said, “Such language with doctors in this critical time when doctors are giving their best to save lives is unwanted, and also the person accompanying Doshi was not wearing a mask inside a Covid-19 Hospital. I have written to the BMC chief to taken action in the matter.”