Docs, health activists’ body slams Gujarat govt. for differentiating Covid patients on faith basis
The story was published on Muslimmirror.com click here to read their original post.
New Delhi: Condemning Ahmadabad government hospital’s segregation of coronavirus patients on the faith basis in the strongest possible terms, Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF), a pan-India body of prominent doctors and health activists, on Wednesday demanded unqualified apology from the Gujarat Chief Minister Gujarat Vijay Rupani and dismissal of his deputy and the state health minister. The doctors’ organization said by this discriminatory action the state BJP government has sent a clear message to the management, doctors and other hospitals to follow the suit which has dangerous consequences.
Even as India is still struggling with the fall out of the communalization of COVID outbreak at the Tabhlighi Jamaat gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi, today’s front page newspaper headlines announced another shocker – ‘Hospital in Ahmadabad splits COVID Wards on Faith, Says Govt. Decision.’ The Medical Superintendent of the Ahmadabad Civil Hospital, Dr Gunvant H Rathod told that the hospital has created separate wards for the Hindu and the Muslim COVID-19 patients on the orders of the Gujarat state government.
Reacting on this shocking news, PMSF national president, Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti said at a time when the entire world is fighting an epic battle against the biggest health emergency, the ruling classes of the India have stooped down to the level of differentiating between patients on the basis of religion.
“It fills us with sheer disgust and a sense of insoluble hurt to our humanity to note that the ruling classes of the India have stooped down to the level of differentiating between patients on the basis of religion, and that too at a time when the entire world is fighting an epic battle against the biggest health emergency that has encompassed the entire world in over a century.”
By having allowed differentiation between the patients on the basis of faith, Gujarat’s BJP government has sent a clear message to the management, doctors and other staff of the Ahmadabad Civil Hospital, as also those of other hospitals, at least in the state, to follow suit, Dr Bhatti told while speaking with Muslim Mirror.
This is bound to have serious consequences for the wellbeing of the patients irrespective of their religion, and will undermine the confidence of vast sections of the society in public health institutions, he added.
Meanwhile, the state Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister, Nitin Patel denied any knowledge of existence of such an order and promised to enquiry into the matter.
Even though, the Health Minister promised to enquire into the matter, the very fact that such a thing could happen without his knowledge (presuming his claim to that effect to be true) speaks volumes about the state of governance under BJP state government, said Dr Vikas Bajpai, Executive member and Press Secretary of PMSF.
If indeed this act had been committed without the Minister’s knowledge, he should have forthrightly apologized for such an unpardonable act by the officers of this department, and should have given an undertaking to take strictest possible action against the culprits, Dr Bajpai added.
Both the activists warned that it is a very dangerous move that have serious consequences on the country healthcare.
“If their past record is anything to go by, then in all likelihood, the Sangh Parivar is actually testing the waters for putting into effect something far more sinister.”
The fight against COVID-19 pandemic of necessity entails the cooperation of every section, every individual of the society to restrain the transmission of the virus, but for the short sighted communal forces who presently occupy positions of power, even a health emergency of the kind the world is presently facing is but an opportunity to milk communal dividend for ensuring their grip on power, they added.
While the corona virus certainly does not discriminate between its victims on the basis of religion, the religious bigots certainly do.
“The Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum also called upon doctors and other health care professionals not to meekly submit to the conspiracies of the government and the communal establishment and they should rather expose any such attempt irrespective of the powers that be”.
Failure to do so would only lead to health workers becoming the chief recipient of the people’s ire against the system, especially as the policies being pursued by the government to tackle the ongoing health emergency have already resulted in untold suffering to the people, Dr. Bajpai warned.
“We demand from the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani to tender an unqualified apology for this policy measure taken by his government; dismiss his deputy and the state health minister, and meet out the strongest possible punishment to others who conspired in committing this act”, the doctors’ body said.
The story was published on Muslimmirror.com click here to read their original post.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
