Rajindra Medical College Assistant Prof Held For ‘Casteist’ Jibe On MBBS Student
The Patiala police officials today booked an assistant professor of Rajindra Medical College for allegedly making cast-based remarks against an MBBS pupil. The FIR comes 10 days after Raj Kumar Verka, vice chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, visited Patiala, met the aggrieved student and directed the Patiala police to register a case.
Teaching personnel of Rajindra Medical College is up in arms against the “unilateral act†of the police officials.
The police officials stated that the FIR was lodged against assistant professor Dr Harsimran Singh forllowing the complaint registered by an MBBS pupil Anmolpreet Singh.
In his report to the police, the pupil said that Dr Harsimran Singh had passed caste-based comments against him in the presence of the entire class students.
Accompanying the grievance and a beginning search, the police officials lodged a case under Sections 3 (1), (10) of the SC, ST Act 1989 against Dr Harsimran Singh at the civil lines police station.
As per sources, it was only after the chairman of National Commission for Scheduled Castes asked the Patiala police chief to list a case that the charged was booked. They added that the charged could be detained anytime as the applied sections were non-bailable. But, with more than 100 pupils as witnesses and a lot of of them eager to provide their report in the case, the officials of the police might take additional time to probe the issue.
“While a few pupils have supported the victim, others have told us a different tale,” stated a police source.
City SSP Gurpreet Singh Gill stated that they were probing the issue and reports of eye witnesses would be lodged. “It is too early to say anything but we are sure the inquiry will be done in an unbiased way,†Gill added.
Teachers from the general group are opposing the registration of the case, claiming that the student was under the influence of a senior professor, who was known for making use of such tactics to settle personal scores.
Around 7 related complaints had been lodged — 3 at the medical college and four at Rajindra Hospital. During August last year, around 3 such complaints were lodged by Class IV staff of the hospital. However, following investigations, it was found that none of the complaints were authentic.
“We are for strict punishment against anyone using caste remarks against anyone but it is hard to believe that an assistant professor would use such words in a classroom without a valid reason,†said a senior doctor. “Such cases will cause a rift instead of bridging it and we demand an impartial probe. Till then, those involved in the case should be shifted from their positions so that students are under no pressure,†he said.