The Union Health Ministry has ordered all government hospitals, centre or state, to file police complaints within six hours of violence on campus or against staff and health workers.

A brief notice issued Friday morning said the head of the instituted concerned would be held responsible if no such complaint is made within the stipulated time.

“Recently it has been observed that violence has become common against doctors and other healthcare staff at government hospitals. A number of healthcare workers suffered physical violence during the course of their duty. Many were threatened or exposed to verbal aggression.”

“Most of this violence is done either by patients or patients’ attenders. In view of this it is stated that in the event of any violence against any healthcare worker while on duty, the Head of the institution shall be responsible for filing an institutional FIR within a maximum of six hours.”

In the event of any violence against any healthcare worker while on duty, the Head of Institution shall be responsible for filing an Institutional FIR within a maximum of 6 hours of the incident: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare pic.twitter.com/2YGDZVRx8O

— ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2024

The notice comes amid furious protests nationwide over the rape and murder of a doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, following which medical professionals across the country have gone on strike demanding better protection and safer work environments.

Earlier the Calcutta High Court came down strongly on the Bengal government while hearing petitions on this issue, including the doctors’ parents alleging lapses by hospital administration.

The body of the doctor was found in a seminar room on the RG Kar Hospital campus on August 9. An autopsy confirmed multiple heinous injuries, from her arms and legs to her genitals.

The grisly killing sparked a massive agitation by doctors in that hospital, from across Kolkata and Bengal, and across India. The protests were followed by vandalism at the RG Kar Hospital.

In a hearing this morning the High Court had some tough questions for the police regarding the vandalism, including asking how they could have allowed a mob of 7,000 to gather.

The High Court then directed the CBI to submit an interim report on the vandalism.

READ | “Prove With Pics Crime Scene Intact”: Court To Bengal Government

The court had earlier handed the case over to the CBI, arguing there is no further time to lose amid allegations of lapses by the administration and police.

The police have firmly trashed any talk of impropriety on their part, including the parents’ claim they first treated the death as a ‘suicide’ and then later did not allow them to view the body.

The police have also dismissed talk they failed to secure the crime scene that was believed to be the target of the vandals. The court, though, has demanded photographic proof of this.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today accused “a person holding constitutional position” of trying to destroy the Indian economy. His comments were seen to be directed at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on the latest report by US short-seller Hindenburg Research.

The report, which targeted India’s markets regulator chief Madhabi Puri Buch, has been rejected by the SEBI boss, the Adani Group, and top economists of the country.

Mr Dhankhar, addressing law students at the National Law University (NLU) on Friday, said he was “extremely worried” over what he called a narrative aimed at destroying India’s economy.

“I got extremely worried when a person holding a constitutional position, just last week, declared in a well-publicised media; I would say campaign, beseeching the Supreme Court to suo-motu (on its own) invoke jurisdiction to give wings to a narrative aimed at destroying our economy,” the Vice President said.

He said the youth must neutralise forces that keep partisan and self-interest above that of the nation. “We cannot allow it. It happens, it is at the cost of our rise,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, while speaking about the Hindenburg report, had called for the Supreme Court’s intervention.

Mr Dhankhar urged the students to look around and find out if the highest courts in other countries ever use “suo-motu cognisance”.

“Jurisdiction of institution is defined by the Indian Constitution, be it legislature, be it executive, be it judiciary. Jurisdiction of courts is decided. Look around the globe, look at the Supreme Court in the US, the highest court in the U.K. or other formats. Has there been suo-moto cognisance even once? Has a remedy been created beyond what is provided in the Constitution?” said the Vice President.

The Hindenburg report was earlier rejected by SEBI chairman and the Adani Group as “baseless” and “malicious”. Ms Buch had also pointed out that the report came after the SEBI initiated action against them in July.

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

Robin Padilla made the remarks during a senate probe into sexual harrassment in the media industry. 

​Robin Padilla made the remarks during a senate probe into sexual harrassment in the media industry.