Eminent Pune doctor confronted in New Delhi, asked his religion, forced to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’
New Delhi: Eminent gynaecologist and noted author Dr. Arun Gadre was reportedly surrounded by a gang of youths in New Delhi’s Connaught Place area and asked his religion while being forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
While the Pune-based Dr. Gadre did not file a police complaint regarding the incident which occurred on the morning of May 26, he confided to a close friend of his.
“He [Dr. Gadre] was staying at the YMCA near Jantar Mantar as he was due to deliver a lecture organized by Indian Medical Association at Bijnor the next day. When he left for his morning stroll, he was accosted by a gang of five-six youth near the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place. They surrounded him, asked him what religion he was and finally demanded that he chant ‘Jai Shri Ram,” said senior journalist, Anant Bagaitkar, to whom Dr. Gadre later narrated the incident.
Mr. Bagaitkar further said that Dr. Gadre, who had a bypass surgery recently, was “shocked and scared”. Issuing a late evening response on reaching Pune on Monday, Dr. Gadre downplayed the incident as “trivial”.
“On 26 May, I was taking a morning walk in Delhi at around 6 a.m. near the YMCA. Suddenly, few youths [confronted me] and asked me to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’. I was a little taken aback and said it. They insisted I say it loudly. I just walked away and they let me. I was not physically manhandled…I did not want to make it public nor report it to the police because I thought it to be trivial…I request everyone to treat it as trivial and not draw any conclusion,” read Dr. Gadre’s response when asked about the incident.
Dr. Gadre, who has worked with the renowned Dr. Prakash Amte, has worked for the promotion of the patient’s rights, universal healthcare and the social regulation of the private medical sector.
Known for his concern about the decline of medical ethics, he is the co-author (along with Dr. Abhay Shukla) of the expose on the rot within the medical profession titled Dissenting Diagnosis.
Dr. Gadre, along with his wife Dr. Jyotsna Gadre, has practiced in drought-prone areas in Maharashtra’s rural hinterland for several years.
courtesy: thehindu.com
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
