The Hindu : Doctors ask MCI to deregister Togadia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 28, 2003

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Doctors ask MCI to deregister Togadia

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi Sept. 27. Several doctors have written to the Medical Council of India (MCI) here to deregister and take action against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Pravin Togadia, for violation of the code of ethics set by the Council. Dr. Togadia is an oncologist and used to run a nursing home in Gujarat.

The MCI has forwarded the complaint signed by over 100 doctors and social activists and spearheaded by the Pune-headquartered Medico Friend Circle to the Maharashtra Medical Council.

"It makes no sense. The MCI has typically passed the buck. There is no logic in sending the complaint to Maharashtra. If at all, the Gujarat Medical Council, where Togadia is registered, should have been asked to investigate,'' Sanjay Nagral, one of the signatories told The Hindu from Mumbai.

"The issue is not just about medical ethics but his behaviour in society. Many doctors have felt that medical doctors taking part in hate campaigns are just not on and we must protest it. Asking the MCI to look at the behaviour of doctors is the basis of our complaint,'' he said. (All efforts by The Hindu to talk to the acting president of the MCI, Kesavankutty Nair, proved futile.)

The complaint alleged that Dr. Togadia violated the code of ethics and of misconduct as defined under the Section 1.1.1 (a physician shall uphold the dignity and honour of the profession), 1.1.2 (the prime objective of the medical profession is to render service to humanity... conducting himself with propriety in his profession and in all the actions of his life), 5.1 (physicians as citizens shall play their part in enforcing the laws of the community and in sustaining the institutions that advance the interests of humanity) and 6.6 (the physician shall not aid or abet torture nor shall be party to either infliction of any mental or physical trauma or concealment of torture inflicted by some other person or agency in clear violation of human rights) of the MCI (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) deserves to be acted against and punished.

"Dr. Togadia has been one of the chief spokesperson of the VHP and the international president of the outfit. At no time has the VHP or Dr. Togadia condemned the violence against Muslims during the VHP call for a Gujarat bandh on February 28 and is thus liable for not only his personal actions but that also of the VHP.''

It quoted news reports to say that on February 28, 2002, at Naroda behind the State Transport workshop in Ahmedabad, Dr. Togadia was seen "instigating" a mob gathered at the main chowk on front of the Natraj hotel wearing saffron scarves and khaki shorts.

The complaint said that Justice A.P. Ravani, a retired High Court Judge from Gujarat, testified before the Citizens Tribunal about doctors being threatened against treating Muslim patients by the VHP. He knew of one doctor in Shahibag area who attended to 17-20 deliveries of Muslim women staying in relief camps.

This doctor and some others were said to have been threatened by Dr. Togadia himself "of facing the consequences.''

This is in stark opposition to the MCI Declaration signed by a doctor at the time of registration which says that even under threat a doctor would not use medical knowledge contrary to laws of humanity and that he/she would not permit the consideration of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between his/her duty and the patient.

According to N.B. Sarojini of Sama, an NGO, that several social organisations, including the Jan Swasthaya Abhiyan, CEHAT, MASUM, CHC, the Forum for Women's Health, Saheli and the Voluntary Health Association of India have also written to the MCI to have the complaint lodged by the doctors against Dr. Togadia investigated by a national independent authority of doctors and eminent citizens.

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