Days after the hospital in Pune was vandalised following the unfortunate death of a pregnant woman, Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Medha Kulkarni has strongly criticised the vandalism carried out by members of her own party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Tanisha Bhise, wife of the personal secretary of BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe, died at another facility after giving birth to twin daughters. Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital is under fire for the death of a pregnant woman after she was allegedly refused admission by Pune's leading Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital over non-payment of a deposit of ₹10 lakh.
On Friday, members of the BJP's women wing barged into the private clinic belonging to Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas's family in the Kothrud area and vandalised it.
The family of Tanisha Bhise, the pregnant woman who allegedly lost her life after being denied admission by Mangeshkar Hospital, has alleged that Dr. Ghaisas, the treating doctor, asked them to deposit ₹10 lakh before starting treatment. She subsequently died at another hospital.
Dr. Nilima Ghaisas, Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas's mother, said her son did not practice there. "Neither we nor our clinic have any connection with this incident," she said.
In a scathing statement, in the letter written to the BJP's city chief Dheeraj Ghate, Dr. Kulkarni condemned the actions of the BJP Mahila Morcha members, calling their behavior unbecoming of the party’s values. “The behavior and actions of the BJP Mahila Morcha members after the unfortunate death of Tanisha Bhise are definitely not befitting the party,” she remarked.
She further stated that the vandalism of Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas’ parents' clinic was not justified, emphasising that taking the law into one’s own hands was inappropriate.
Dr. Kulkarni wrote a formal letter to BJP city president Dheeraj Ghate, urging him to address the issue and hold the concerned individuals accountable. She also stressed the importance of maintaining a dignified approach to protest, advocating for civilised methods of agitation.
The MP concluded her statement by suggesting that if an apology and compensation were provided, it would not only restore the dignity of the affected individuals but also enhance the prestige of the party.
The incident has sparked a political debate, with Dr. Kulkarni’s bold stance highlighting the need for accountability within party ranks.
Chitra Wagh had praised Mahila Morcha
This is not the first time Dr. Kulkarni has taken a different stand from her party. Even during the fight to save Vetal Tekdi, she stood firmly with Punekars protesting against the project, despite the party pushing it through the Pune Municipal Corporation.
However, State President Mahila Morcha BJP Maharashtra and MLA Chitra Wagh has praised her cadre after the protest and sought justice for the deceased woman and her newborn.
Wagh, meanwhile, came under criticism for a social media post praising the party's women's wing members who targeted a private clinic in Pune's Kothrud area belonging to Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas, who works at the hospital, and vandalised it.
