Doctors irked over Togadia’s participation in IMA rally

Dr. Arun Mitra wrote a letter to IMA president

Ludhiana: 8th June 2017: (Punjab Screen Bureau)::

The ranks of medical fraternity under the Indian Medical Association (IMA) here are divided on the participation of VHP leader Pravin Togadia in the protest held by the IMA in New Delhi on June 6. Doctors across the country had observed a strike demanding a central legislation to deal with violence against doctors.

In an open letter written to IMA president KK Aggarwal, former district president and former state senior vice-president Dr. Arun Mitra said the doctors here had whole-heartedly supported the nationwide strike on June 6 because they were convinced that the majority of the doctors were sensitive towards their duty and sincerely tended to the sick and infirm.

Taking strong exception to inviting ParveenTogadia to address the IMA rally at New Delhi, Dr. Mitra charged the IMA president of either being ignorant and naive about Togadia’s hard line views or having some ulterior motive. “The act of inviting Togadia to the rally has lowered the professional prestige of the organization,” he remarked.

Mitra said doctors were entitled to know the reason for inviting Togadia to address the rally when he has no locus standi. 

In his letter Dr. Mitra said,"We actively participated in the  protest against violence on  doctors organized by the   IMA on 6th June 2017 because we are convinced that most of the doctors are sensitive towards their duty of care to the patients, they are compassionate and are truthful in their total approach to the care of the sick and the infirm.  Even though we have strong reservations over certain approaches of the IMA central leadership, for example, getting support from the pharmaceutical companies for organizing education programs in a lavish manner,  endorsing certain commercial products and also on holding IMA meetings in places like  Pataya in Thailand. As concerned members, we had pointed out about these from time to time." 

He further said,"I, Arun Mitra have been an active member of the association since the early 1980s and was President of the Ludhiana unit and then senior vice president of Punjab state IMA in 2009. Therefore despite the reservations mentioned above we have been involved in the IMA because I feel that this is the premier body of the doctors which carries legacy of eminent persons like Dr A K N Sinha and Dr B C Roy. But we were utterly perturbed to learn that Parveen Togadia was invited to address the rally at Delhi.

Doctors are taught to have patience and provide care within best of our ability to the patients irrespective of caste, creed or community. As a doctor we give declaration and pledge that we will consecrate life to the service of humanity. This clearly means that we dedicate ourselves to humanity. Parveen Togadia is well known for venomous hate speeches. When one possesses bias against a particular community how can one justify the commitment to serve all the people in the same manner?

Inviting ParveenTogadia to address indicates that either you are ignorant and naive about Togadia's views or you have some ulterior motive.  This act of inviting Togadia has lowered the professional prestige of the organization.

As citizens of the country and members of IMA we have every reason to know why he was invited to address when he has no locus standi, he is neither any office bearer of the IMA nor he is a doctor of great eminence that his presence will boost the cause of IMA.