The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday sought an apology from Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi for threatening and insulting a senior doctor during an inspection at the Health Directorate on Saturday.
Giving a ruling after the legislators brought to the notice of the House, the insult meted out to the doctor by Ms. Bedi, Speaker V. P. Sivakolundhu said it was regrettable that she made such remarks. “The House wants the Lt. Governor to express regret and apologise to the doctor concerned,” he said.
Making a mention of the video doing the rounds relating to an inspection at Health Directorate, Parliamentary Secretary to the Chief Minister K. Lakshminarayanan said, “In the video, Ms. Bedi is heard saying that ‘I will deal with you (doctor) and it is enough to hang you.’ ” Deputy Director of Public Health Raghunath was threatened in full public view and hence the Assembly should pass a resolution condemning the behaviour of the Lt. Governor, he added.
Intervening in the issue, Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said it was not the first time that officials were being harassed by her. “If these things continue to happen we will be compelled to take extreme steps to save them,” he said.
Stating that Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao had apologised to doctors for her behaviour, the Chief Minister said this was the time when everyone had to work together.
Mr. Rao said the Lt. Governor's aim seemed to be to disrupt the good work done by the doctors so that COVID-19 cases increase and bring a bad name to the government.
Meanwhile, healthcare workers led by the Unified Health Employees Association joint action committee stayed away from work for a two-hour protest on Tuesday morning to press for an apology from Lt Governor Kiran Bedi for “denigrating” a senior health official.
The healthcare workers boycotted work, sparing only emergency services, and staged a protest in front of hospitals and health centres. The protest, which lasted for two hours from 7.30 a.m., took place in front of major institutions including the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children’s Hospital, ESI Hospital, TB Santarium, PHCs and CHCs.
The protest was decided after a meeting on Monday discussed the issue where the “Lt. Governor threatened health department officials without understanding the yeoman service rendered by frontline COVID warriors”.
On Monday, doctors, nurses and other workers led by Puducherry Government Medical Officers Association (PGMOA) had worn black badges to work over the issue.
Nothing personal: Bedi
Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi on Tuesday sought to assuage the hurt among the medical fraternity over her reported rebuke of a senior health official during an inspection of the Health Directorate, saying she has “the highest regards for our warriors in white coat.”
In a statement, Ms. Bedi said, “In case any person has felt hurt or offended by my mentoring and guidance I only wish to say I am doing my duty in very trying times in right earnest, for which I am here for. “There is nothing personal in anything said or done.”
Pointing out that she was aware that some medical professionals were feeling uncomfortable over the hugely increased work load caused by COVID virus and the extra demands on their time and energy, Ms. Bedi said that she fully understood that “in some demanding incidents it is likely that the sensitivity and capacity levels are different.”
According to her, during the visit to the health control room on Saturday she had found essential unanswered questions and lack of preparedness on the part of a certain key person who was directly responsible for field coordination. “I mentored him and guided him and the concerned assured me and committed that he will hereafter do all that is required.
“I have the highest regards for our warriors in white coats. As I have for warriors in khaki. I salute (the services of ) all professionals in the fight against COVID.”
Stating that as the administrator she had a very challenging responsibility to ensure that all gave their best to deal with the crisis in a collaborative spirit, Ms. Bedi urged all stakeholders to focus on COVID prevention work and not get distracted at this juncture, as it’s a question of people’s lives and economic well being.
