Top doctor at UP govt hospital booked, suspended after ‘remarks on Yogi, state govt’

The incident took place on Saturday, when a group of protesters from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stood outside the government hospital in Birsinghpur, alleging inadequate facilities, even as Dr Prasad tried to pacify them.

A purported video of the incident, which had gone viral, showed a man telling Prasad that they would take out an effigy procession of the CMS and CMO across Birsinghpur. In response, Prasad was purportedly heard saying, “CMO ki kyon nikaloge, sarkar ki nikaliye, Yogi ji ki nikaliye (why would you take out a procession against the CMO, take it out against the government, Yogi instead).”

Following this, a local BJP leader filed a complaint against Dr Prasad for allegedly using objectionable language against the government and the chief minister at Jaisinghpur police station, and an FIR was lodged under relevant BNS sections.

Dr Prasad, however, said he didn’t say anything wrong or use abusive language. “Over the last three years, some of my close family members, including my wife, passed away and I got upset when the AAP leader used the word ‘arthi (bier)’ and said they would take out my funeral procession.”

He further said, “I merely reacted, saying why would they take out my procession… they should take out one against the government instead. Someone captured the video and local MLA (BJP) Raj Prasad Upadhyay circulated it and even shared it with the DM, CMO, Additional Director, Ayodhya, BKS Chauhan and to the DG (DG, Health).”

“I will be approaching the court soon, seeking relief into the false charges framed against me and the subsequent suspension,” Dr Prasad added.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who is also the Health Minister, told The Indian Express that the doctor has been suspended for making objectionable comments against the state government.

The hospital started functioning a year ago but AAP workers were alleging inadequate facilities, Pathak added. He said a video showed the protesters warning the doctor that they would take out his “effigy procession” and the latter was heard saying to “take out [a procession with] the government’s effigy instead”.

The Deputy CM said there are very good facilities available at the hospital in this rural area. “It… takes time to meet all requirements,” he explained.

BJP Sultanpur district president, Susheel Tripathi, told The Indian Express, “Soon after watching the video, we informed the district administration and our senior leaders in the organisation. Our mandal president got a case lodged against the doctor. He violated service rules by making such anti-government remarks. Action has already been taken against him by the government.”

A team of officials, as directed by the Health Directorate, visited the hospital on Monday and submitted a report.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sultanpur district, Dr Bharat Bhushan, said a departmental inquiry against Dr Prasad has been ordered and the Director of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital, Lucknow, has been assigned the probe. Dr Prasad has been attached with the Additional Director, Ayodhya, office, the CMO added.

Meanwhile, Dr Prasad also accused the local MLA of allegedly opposing his appointment as acting CMS, alleging that the legislator “wanted favours for his contractors, which I refused to grant”.

Responding to the other allegations against him, Dr Prasad said, “The Additional Director, who visited the hospital after the video went viral, found a plastic particle in human waste and held me responsible for negligence. I am also not aware if any nurse or the Emergency Medical Officer on duty prescribed medicines to a patient from outside. All these charges have been framed against me. I am from the 1999-batch and was given officiating charge as acting CMS a month ago, after the previous CMS retired.”

The local MLA did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.