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Punjab minister asked medical university V-C to lie on dirty bed. He has quit
The incident had sparked controversy and criticism from opposition.
A controversy was sparked on Friday when Punjab health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra - during an inspection - asked a medical university vice-chancellor, a renowned health professional, to lie on a dirty patient bed. Visuals of Baba Farid medical university vice-chancellor, Dr Raj Bahadur, being told to lie on the patient bed were also shared by the opposition, strongly criticising the health minister.
Now the varsity vice-chancellor has quit, people familiar with the matter said. The university is located in the Faridkot district of Punjab. The incident was said to have sparked resentment amid the medical fraternity.
In a statement, the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA)'s Dr Akhil Sarin said, “The PCMSA strongly condemns the unceremonious treatment meted out to the VC by the health minister. Whatever the reason, the way the VC was maltreated, is deplorable. Such blatant disrespect for a senior health functionary is appalling, to say the least. The face-off has actually led to the State losing its only Spine Surgeon”.
The opposition too had shared visuals, condemning the 'disrespect of a prominent health professional'. "Rude behaviour with and humiliating, Dr Raj Bahadur, a renowned spinal surgeon & Vice-Chancellor Baba Farid University of Health Sciences by an AAP’s Punjab minister is not only outrageous but shameful misuse of position. VC is answerable to Chancellor and not a greenhorn minister," Congress's Pawan Kumar Bansal tweeted.
Sharing a video of the incident, the BJP's Manjinder Singh Sirsa wrote: "Disgusting behaviour by Health Min of @AAPPunjab MLA Chetan Joremajra! He is humiliating Dr Raj Bahadur, VC of Baba Farid University. Embarrassing, cheap, uneducated & arrogant behaviour by an MLA shd be held accountable! Was this the “Inqlaab” @ArvindKejriwal wanted to bring?"
After the inspection, the minister on Friday had said: “I have ordered the officials concerned to immediately improve the facilities. All health services would be provided to the patients at government hospitals. I will again inspect the hospital after 15 days. Soon, there will be no shortage of medical staff and medicines in hospitals."
This is the latest controversy to have hit the Bhagwant Mann government in the state, which came to power in March with a huge mandate.
