Hospital VC quits after public humiliation by Punjab health minister

Dr Raj Bahadur, the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in Faridkot, resigned from his post today (July 30), after he was pulled up about the poor condition of the hospital and publicly humiliated on camera by Punjab health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra.

After he had got complaints regarding the lack of cleaniness in the government hospital wards, the state health minister had paid a visit to the hospital. He was accompanied by a bevy of cameramen and journalists.

Cheap theatrics of Aam Aadmi Party never ceases. Today the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid Medical University,Raj Bahadur Singh was publicly humiliated by the Health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra (+2 Pass).This type of mob behaviour will only demoralise our medical staff. pic.twitter.com/ZGJCbEPjhm

— Pargat Singh (@PargatSOfficial) July 29, 2022

In front of everyone present, Jouramajra ordered a reluctant Dr Bahaduri to lie down on a dirty bed meant for patients. Minister Jouramajra is heard reprimanding the VC telling him that it is all in his hands. At this point, an onlooker lifts up the mattress and points to its poor condition.

Opposition leaders have termed the minister’s behavior as “cheap theatrics”. Congress leader Pargat Singh said, “This type of mob behaviour will only demoralise our medical staff.”

The incident sparked a row as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) today demanded an ‘immediate unconditional apology and resignation from the health minister of Punjab for his ‘misbehaviour’ with Dr Raj Bahadur. BJP leader Sunil Jakhar also said it was  ‘unacceptable for health minister to misbehave like that with anybody, let alone with a vice-chancellor.’

“Dr Raj Bahadur isn’t just a doctor, but a renowned personality in the medical world. Had the former apologised yesterday, Dr Raj wouldn’t have resigned,” added Jakhar, according to media reports,

In May, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had sacked his then health minister Vijay Singla from the cabinet on a corruption charge.