Mangaluru, Dec 23, 2019: “Disturbing” incidents of police entering hospital during protest against the the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, including a Mangaluru hospital, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Dec 22, Sunday said it is a “new low” in the civic life of the nation while demanding that such facilities be declared safe zones.
It said that no violence is acceptable in a hospitals, which are “sacrosanct and are exempted even in a war zone”.
“There are disturbing reports from areas of protests and resistance that police have entered hospitals and at least in one case the ICU. This is a new low in civic life of the nation but not entirely unexpected given the impunity which violence is heaped on doctors and hospitals. However the difference this time is that it is the establishment which has lost its restraint,” an IMA statement said.
CCTV footage from Highland Hospital ward in Mangaluru had shown that police entering the hospital in search of protesters and even kicking at the doors, which was said to be that of the ICU.
“IMA has the legacy of taking on the West over its bombings of hospitals in Afganistan. Violations by the Russian State have been flagged off by none other than the World Medical Association. What makes IMA react today is that disturbing reports of denial of access to medical care are emerging. This is unacceptable,” it said.