UP Sub Divisional Magistrate Swati Shukla lost her temper on a doctor at Hardoi medical college
A Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Uttar Pradesh has drawn flak from the medical fraternity in the state after she lost her temper and misbehaved with a doctor while visiting the Autonomous State Medical College in Hardoi yesterday.
In a video that went viral on social media, SDM (Headquarters) Swati Shukla can be seen speaking to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) over the phone, complaining about the doctors at the hospital being discourteous and even threatening to drag them to the police station - all because the doctor on duty did not rise from his chair as a mark of respect towards her.
According to reports, the SDM was at the hospital to check on the health status of a girl who had allegedly consumed poison. When she arrived at the hospital, the doctor on duty, Dr Chandraprakash, did not rise from his chair as a mark of respect to the SDM. The SDM took strong exception to such behavior. She then entered the Emergency Medical Officer's (EMO) cabin, occupied his chair and dialled the CMO, saying: "CMO Sahib, please teach these doctors some manners. The next time they behave like this, I'll drag them to the police station."
Defending Dr Chandrapraksh and criticising the SDM for her misbehaviour, Dr Vani Gupta, Principal at the medical college, said: "I'd like to cite two rules that are followed by the Army. Firstly, when an officer enters a senior officer's cabin, the senior officer is not required to stand up. Secondly, no one is allowed to enter the cabin of a senior officer and occupy his or her chair. Dr Chandraprakash is a senior, Level Four doctor. So, he was not required to stand up, as a mark of respect to the SDM."
Dr Gupta added: "All senior government employees must respect each other."
Brushing aside the controversy, Ms Shukla said: "I went to the medical college to check on the girl who had consumed poison. Had her condition worsened, I'd have had to take her dying declaration. While I was there, I only alerted the doctors to be sincere in the discharge of their duties towards their patients."