Medical intern alleges assault by BJP MLA, AAP launches attack

A political row erupted over the alleged assault of a medical intern by BJP MLA Harish Khurana at a Delhi Government hospital on Thursday, with the Aam Aadmi Party demanding action and the BJP MLA in question dismissing the accusations as lies.

Citing a written complaint by an intern at Acharya Bhikshu Hospital, former minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said while his party had condemned the assault on CM Rekha Gupta, the BJP was silent on one of its MLAs “assaulting” an intern at a hospital. “The MLA went to Acharya Bhikshu Hospital in Moti Nagar at around 11 am. He abused and assaulted a doctor on duty. The doctor submitted a written complaint at 11.15 am. It is 4 pm and not a single FIR has been registered,” said Bhardwaj at a press conference on Thursday.

Replying to the allegations, BJP MLA from Moti Nagar Harish Khurana said: “The allegations levelled by Saurabh Bhardwaj are false. I challenge him to present any footage where I am assaulting or manhandling the doctors,” said Khurana.

He said he had visited the hospital for a surprise inspection — with a mask on — after receiving complaints about doctors misbehaving with patients. “I found that some doctors were not wearing aprons and badges,” Khurana alleged, adding that the issue had been resolved.

The BJP lawmaker demanded an apology from Bhardwaj. Earlier, Bhardwaj recalled the RG Kar Hospital case and said the AAP, when in power, had decided to revamp hospital security because it was found to be lacking.

“In this case too, when the scuffle happened, the doctor called the guard for help, but no guard came. We had earlier said 10 per cent CISF security should be deployed at hospitals,” the AAP leader added.

Meanwhile, the student council of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and its affiliated institute, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences (ABVIMS), on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta about the alleged assault and sought action.

They alleged that doctors posted in the casualty ward of the hospital were “physically assaulted, verbally abused, and humiliated” while on duty.

“This was a direct assault on the dignity, security, and morale of the entire medical fraternity,” the student council added, without naming Khurana.