NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Wednesday launched a sharp attack over the assault on women doctors and nurses at Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation Hospital and asked the chief minister to “worship” the home ministry portfolio he holds.In a post on X, Raut demanded strict punishment for the “Mindhe gang.””Honourable chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ji, please worship the home minister portfolio you hold! The angels in white clothes who served the people during the Corona period, those women doctors and nurses, are beaten inhumanely by the Mindhe gang’s thugs who barge into the hospital—is this the rule of law?” he asked.Raut further called on CM Fadnavis to “put handcuffs on all of them and parade them in the streets in just their underwear and vest!”This comes after Ramesh Mhatre came under scrutiny after CCTV footage purportedly showed him and several of his supporters assaulting doctors and hospital staff inside a municipal hospital in Maharashtra’s Kalyan.According to hospital officials, the incident stemmed from the treatment of a woman admitted to Shastrinagar Hospital for childbirth. Following a caesarean delivery, doctors found that the newborn required specialised medical care because the umbilical cord had been wrapped around the baby’s neck twice.As the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was reportedly operating at full capacity, the attending doctors, Dr Srushti Baviskar and Dr Vaibhav Salunkhe, advised the family to shift the infant to another medical facility equipped to provide the required treatment. Meanwhile, Mhatre refuted all allegations of assaulting women doctors and nurses at a Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital, saying the CCTV footage “may look that way” because of the camera angle. Mhatre asserted that he did not raise his hand against any medical staff during the visit.Speaking at a press conference, the Shiv Sena corporator expressed regret over the incident and alleged that the nurse was not listening to the grievances and was constantly speaking on her phone, after which he tapped her on the hand.”I express regret over the incident of assault that took place. I state with full confidence that I did not raise my hand against the female doctor. What appears in the CCTV footage might look that way due to the camera angle. I address her informally (using ‘tu’) because she is like a daughter to me. I am not even aware of whether she is married or not. While we were conversing, she kept talking on the phone and was not listening to our grievance; that is why I tapped her on the hand. We have been guided by Balasaheb’s teachings,” he said.”We have never raised a hand against women, nor will we ever do so in the future. The incident occurred due to systemic shortcomings within the hospital. We will strive to address those deficiencies. The individuals who prompted my visit there will provide further details regarding the entire incident. The people who had called me did not answer my calls. I arrived at the scene considering the gravity of the situation. They are the ones who will provide the full details,” he added.Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde also condemned the incident, saying a case has been registered and strict action will be taken against those found guilty.However, the opposition has torn into the Sena over the conduct of its corporator, alleging that the party is drunk on power.
