Mangaluru: Doctors take to streets demanding arrest of violent BJP MP

Mangaluru, Jan 7: Medical practitioners, nurses and students on Saturday took out a protest rally in Mangaluru demanding the arrest of Uttra Kannada BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde, who assaulted to doctors at a private hospital in Sirsi recently.

The protest rally from IMA house to the office of deputy commissioner was organised by the Mangaluru branches of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Association of Medical Consultants (AMC)?and Canara Orthopaedics Society. The doctors also shut down their establishments for half a day till afternoon in protest against the assault that took place on January 2.

Addressing the rally, IMA Mangaluru branch president Dr Raghavendra Bhat K said the MP has gone against the values of the democracy by physically assaulting a doctor and other medical staff who were on duty.

The MP arrived at TSS?Hospital in Sirsi on Monday midnight and assaulted the orthopaedic surgeon Dr Madhukeshwar by beating him up and other medical staff. The association strongly condemns the MP's act, he said.

Calling MP's assault a grave offense, he said that the police should immediately arrest the former after registering the case under the cognisable and non-bailable sections of the Karnataka Medicare Act, 2009.

As per the law, assault on the medical staff on duty is a non-bailable offence. The case has been registered as medico-legal case at the local government hospital, he said.

He said that the victim doctor was blamed for the discrepancy of duty, which is a false charge. In reality, the patient, that is the MP's mother, was brought to the hospital after 10 days of undergoing a bone fracture.

As she could not be operated in that stage, the family members were suggested to shift the patient to Mangaluru. Later, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Madhukeshwar proceeded to the operation theatre to perform a surgery. MP Anant Kumar Hegde who arrived at midnight assaulted and injured the medical staff including a lady nurse at the hospital, he charged.

The outpatient services were shut till 2 pm. However, the emergency services were open. The protest was observed in all districts in the state. In Sirsi, doctors and other medical staff observed total bandh. Tomorrow, the doctors will work with black badges.