Sisodia’s Pathankot visit kicks up row

Former Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s personal visit to Ranjit Sagar Dam has stirred up a controversy.

Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa posted on X, “It seems you (Sisodia) are very sick going by the team of government doctors deployed for you. I think an air-ambulance should also be provided to you.”

Sisodia is staying at the huts in the Ranjit Sagar Dam area for the past two days. He is said to be accompanied by his family. Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) spokesperson Teena Chowdhury took to social media and said, “Specialist doctors are already scarce in the Civil Hospital. So many specialists have been asked to report to you means the common man visiting the hospital will be suffering.”

The Civil Hospital authorities had already put the names of doctors slated to do duty in WhatsApp groups. However, after Randhawa and Chowdhury took up the issue, these were quickly deleted.

Randhawa posted, “I welcome you to my parliamentary constituency. But in my opinion, going by the strength of doctors deployed at your duty, it will be better if they also give you an air-ambulance.” A senior district administration officer denied that any security or health facilities had been provided to Sisodia.

In a letter, the office of the Civil Surgeon has asked Dr Navdeep Bachan (medical specialist), Dr Vinay Kondal and Dr Geetika (both medical officers) to be part of the team that will do duty from 2 pm till 8 pm on April 25. The doctors will be accompanied by Sandeep Kumar (pharmacy officer), Chaman (ward attendant) and Rajinder Singh (ambulance driver).

A team of three doctors and an equal number of paramedical staff have been asked to do night duty from 8 pm on April 25 till 8 am on April 26. These include Dr Surjit Singh (medical specialist), Dr Madhvi (blood transfusion officer) and Dr Munish (medical officer). They will be accompanied by Vasu Mahajan (pharmacy officer), Sukhdev (ward attendant) and Rajinder Singh (ambulance driver).

Yet another team of three doctors and an equal number of paramedics have been asked to be on duty from 8 am to 2 pm on April 26. This list comprises Dr Rohit Bhardwaj (medical specialist) Dr Rukman Bhalla (medical officer) and Dr Ramandeep Singh (ENT specialist). The paramedical staff includes Deepak Kumar (pharmacy officer), Manoj Kumar (ward attendant) and Rajan Saini (ambulance driver).

Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation, no senior administration officer was willing to go on record.