Pune: The Pimpri-Chinchwad city unit of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a show-cause notice to its corporator Sandeep Waghere over breach of party discipline in connection with the alleged manhandling of doctors and medical staff at the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) hospital – a dedicated Covid-19 hospital of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
BJP has asked Waghere to reply within three days to the notice. If his reply is found unsatisfactory, the party will initiate further action against him, the notice states. Leader of the House in PCMC Namdev Dhake has issued the notice to Waghere.
Dhake said, “We have issued a show-cause notice to corporator Sandeep Waghere. His conduct has been detrimental to the party discipline. In view of Covid-19 crisis, Waghere’s conduct with the doctors at YCM was wrong.”
“It is necessary to encourage and boost the morale of doctors during such a crisis time. Waghere’s name has cropped up in the case of alleged manhandling of doctors and along with his name the mention of him being a BJP corporator has brought disrepute to the party. Strict action will be taken against party leaders if they indulge in such acts,” Dhake said.
Doctors at YCM hospital had protested on Monday morning alleging mistreatment by Waghere on Sunday night. Waghere had entered into an argument with the doctors over the admission of a female patient who had reportedly died on Sunday night, but the doctors asked her relatives to shift her to the Intensive Care Unit. Waghere had alleged that the doctors were trying to hide their failure in saving the life of the woman who was undergoing treatment for Covid-19 disease. Doctors refuted these charges and then a verbal spat ensued between Waghere and them. Waghere, however, had denied all allegations saying that the doctors were lying.
PCMC Commissioner Shravan Hardikar met the protesting doctors on Monday evening. After Hardikar’s assurance of taking appropriate action doctors agreed to resume their duties. Hardikar has also assured YCM doctors that additional police security will be provided to them.
