‘Send Him To Jungle’: UP Minister Orders Transfer Of Differently Abled Doctor After He Fails To Welcome Him
The incident took place at a Community Health Centre in Sonbhadra district, where Gond, was on his visit to inaugurate a solar power plant on Wednesday.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjeev Gond directed a physically challenged doctor to be transferred out of his constituency and "to some jungle" after the doctor failed to greet him during a hospital visit for an inauguration. Despite the doctor's explanation that he was attending to a patient at the time, the minister accused him of lacking proper manners.
Gond later suggested that the doctor might not have been aware of his visit, and said the situation would have been different if he had known. He emphasised the need for proper facilities at the hospital, which serves many underprivileged patients, according to a report by NDTV.
The incident took place at a Community Health Centre in Dibulganj, Obra, Sonbhadra district, where Gond, who is the Minister of State for Social Welfare and Scheduled Caste and Tribal Welfare, was on his visit to inaugurate a solar power plant on Wednesday. While the minister was received by his supporters and some staff, the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Ravi Singh, was not present at the welcome.
Inside the hospital, Gond asked who was in charge and then called the Sonbhadra Chief Medical Officer, stating, "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."
Despite the doctor's repeated explanations and denial of any misconduct, Gond insisted that he be removed from the constituency. "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," Gond added.
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While speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Gond stated that the doctor was not aware of his visit. "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," the minister said, NDTV reported.
Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, Leaders from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress stated that the doctor was on his job while putting patients a his first priority. "The ministers in the government are such that they prioritise their welcome over things that are actually important. Asking for a doctor's transfer to a jungle because you are not welcomed... the minister should have checked the facilities and whether people (at the hospital) are having any problems. But the BJP is more concerned about being welcomed, and this is a matter of concern," Samajwadi Party Spokesperson Ashutosh Verma said.
Joining the criticism, Congress Spokesperson Akhilesh Pratap Singh also said, "The medical superintendent was prioritising patients and the minister is getting angry. The Uttar Pradesh government and its minister care more about protocol than the health of people. The minister is asking for the transfer of a doctor who is doing his job diligently. Such a minister should be sacked."
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