IMA Maharashtra writes to Venkaiah Naidu over alleged 'derogatory remarks' by Sanjay Raut on doctors, WHO

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Aug 18 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra has written to Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Vankaih Naidu over the alleged "derogatory statements" issued against doctors and the World Health Organisation (WHO) by Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.
IMA Maharashtra wrote to the Vice-President on Monday as Raut is a member of the Upper House of the Parliament.
"Sanjay Raut MP from Maharashtra, passed some derogatory and loose comments, recently in an interview, on a Marathi Television News Channel. He said, 'Doctors do not know anything.' 'Compounders are better.' 'I always take medicine from a compounder, never from a doctor.' 'WHO is a useless organisation, because of WHO the Coronavirus Pandemic came'," the IMA said in its letter.
The Association said that in a meeting of its State Executive on August 16, a resolution condemning the comments made by Raut was passed unanimously, and representatives of all 216 branches demanded him to take back his words and tender an apology to the doctor's community.
"Such disparaging, disrespectful and dishonouring comments by a respectable leader, a journalist and Rajya Sabha MP have hurt the feelings of the doctors in Maharashtra. These slighting and uncomplimentary remarks have damaged the morale of the doctors who are fighting with the COVID 19 for more than four and half months till today," it said.
IMA said that it has made the Chief Minister and Governor of Maharashtra aware of this incident and further urged the Vice-President to appeal " members of Rajya Sabha to stop issuing such derogatory statements and mudslinging against the doctors' community."
IMA Thane Branch had also written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray condemning Raut's statement and had asked for his resignation.
Meanwhile, clarifying his stand on the issue, Sena leader Raut on Tuesday said that he could never insult doctors and others in the medical fraternity especially after their contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic, and added that his statements were directed towards the World Health Organisation's (WHO's) role during the crisis phase.
"Some people are trying to play politics over it. I have not insulted anybody, and I especially cannot insult the doctors. The doctors, nurses, ward boys have contributed a lot during this COVID phase. I had spoken about the WHO, many others too had said the same," Raut told reporters here.
"Had WHO done its job correctly the COVID pandemic would not have spread around the globe," he added.