NGOs protest arrest of thalassaemia society chief

Tribune news service

Bathinda, November 28

The HIV-positive blood transfusion row took another turn on Saturday when city-based NGOs held a protest here at Fire Brigade Chowk, alleging that the FIR was registered against the Thalassaemia Welfare Society president and others to suppress the voices supporting the affected family members. On the other hand, doctors of the PCMS association said if the registered FIR was cancelled, they would tender their resignation as a mark of protest.

The protesters raised slogans against the administration and the Health Department. After a verbal duel between the Thalassaemia Welfare Society and senior officials of the Health Department, the police on the complaint of the SMO, Civil Hospital, had booked three persons, including the president of the Thalassaemia Welfare Society, AAP district (urban) president Navdeep Jeeda and a Shiv Sena member for allegedly using foul language with senior officials of the Health Department recently.

Members of the Naujwan Welfare Society, Sahara Welfare Society, Young Blood Club, Astha Welfare Society and Hanuman Sewa Society, among others NGOs, while addressing the gathering at the protest venue, said the cases registered against people speaking in favour of the affected parents, must be cancelled, otherwise they would intensify their stir.

Meanwhile, as NGOs suspended their voluntary services on Saturday, cremation of patients, who had died due to Covid-19, got affected.

Later, a five-member committee, constituted by the district administration, led by Tehsildar Sukhvir Singh Brar, reached the venue and assured that they would work out a solution. Following this, the protest ended.