Punjab Health Minister orders Baba Farid University V-C to lie on dirty hospital mattress

Annoyed by complaints regarding the lack of cleanliness in hospital wards, Punjab health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra on Friday visited the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot and asked the institute's vice-chancellor to lay on a dirty mattress designated for patients.

Accompanied by press and cameramen, Jouramajra visited the hospital and took stock of its infrastructure and arrangements. Taking note of the poor condition of the hospital beds, the minister ordered Dr Raj Bahadur, the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, to lay on the mattress.

In a video shared by news agency ANI, Jouramajra can be heard asking Bahadur “It's all in your hands but what is this?”

One of the minister's accomplices is seen lifting up the mattress and pointing to its poor condition. Jouramajra then demanded to see the hospital's store room. He also spoke to patients at the hospital and heard their complaints. 

Dr Raj Bahadur, 71, is an acclaimed spinal surgeon in India, and Project Director and Member Secretary of the Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Mohali. He is also a member of the National Medical Commission, the country's apex medical regulatory body.

Oppn slams Jouramajra's 'humiliating behaviour' towards V-C

The AAP Minister's behaviour towards the institute's Vice Chancellor drew sharp criticism from opposition leaders who demanded an apology from Jouramajra.

"Punjab Health Minister's humiliating behaviour with Dr Raj Bahadur is highly condemnable. The Minister must apologise," state Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring tweeted on Friday.

Congress leader Pargat Singh, while criticising Jouramajra's actions, said this kind of mob behaviour would only demoralise our medical staff.

“Cheap theatrics of the Aam Aadmi Party never ceases. Today the Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid Medical University, Raj Bahadur Singh was publicly humiliated by Health minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra (+2 Pass). This type of mob behaviour will only demoralise our medical staff,” Pargat Singh tweeted.

In May, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann sacked his then Health Minister Vijay Singla from the cabinet on a corruption charge.