The video of a minister's act of forcing the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) to lie on a dirty mattress at a hospital has gone viral. Punjab Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra is now in the news for the same. Vice-Chancellor Raj Bahadur has resigned, it is learnt, and requested Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann to relieve him from service.
On Friday, July 29, the minister was on rounds inspecting Faridkot's Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, which comes under BFUHS. As stated in a report by PTI, a video clip of the incident that circulated on social media showed Jouramajra placing a hand on the veteran surgeon's shoulder as he pointed toward the "damaged and dirty condition" of the mattress inside the hospital's skin department.
Consequently, the minister allegedly forced the surgeon to lie down on the same mattress. Upset with this, Dr Bahadur was seen justifying to the minister that he was not responsible for the facilities. But countering this, the minister said 'everything is in your (surgeon) hands'.
Commenting on the incident. Bahadur said, "When you work so hard and put in your best efforts, one does feel low when you have to face this kind of behaviour." Bahadur, a specialist in spinal surgery and joint replacement, is a former Director-Principal of Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh and has also been the head of the orthopaedic department at PGIMER, Chandigarh.
As stated in a report by PTI, Bahadur aged 71 with work experience of over four decades in various health institutions, felt humiliated by the minister's behaviour. It is said that after the incident, Bahadur reportedly informed Bhagwant Mann, that this kind of atmosphere was not conducive to his work and requested him to relieve him of his duties.
According to a few sources, the CM has taken a strong view of the incident and spoken to Jouramajra. It is said that the CM has asked the VC to meet him next week.
Condemning the issue, various doctors associations took to Twitter seeking the minister to apologise. A doctors' body in Punjab, PCMS Association, strongly condemned the "unceremonious treatment" meted out to Dr Bahadur. Further, with deep resentment, it said public shaming of a senior doctor on systemic issues is strongly condemnable.
The opposition too took a dig at the AAP minister over the incident. Punjab Congress President Amrinder Singh Raja Warring's tweet read, "Punjab Health Minister @jouramajra's humiliating behavior with Dr Raj Bahadur is highly condemnable. Minister must apologise."
Further, Congress Leader and Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, took to Twitter stating, "The sort of behavior meted by the Health Minister to VC Baba Farid Medical University Dr. Raj Bahadur is absolutely uncalled for. @BhagwantMann ji should take strict action against the arrogant Minister. Otherwise, such behavior will alienate our medical fraternity."
Additionally, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Chief of Shiromani Akali Dal, tweeted saying, "Have spoken to Dr Bahadur & expressed solidarity with him besides assuring full support to an entire med fraternity which is being targeted by AAP ministers & MLAs."
Also, BJP leader Sunil Jakhar tweeted, "Very sad that Dr Raj Bhadur has resigned, but he has done what any self-respecting person would do. Now it’s for @BhagwantMann to do what any conscientious CM ought to do-sack the health minister if that’s what it takes to prevail upon Dr Raj Bhadur to withdraw his resignation."
