The doctor whom Barkha and Newslaundry quoted to further their JNU agenda turns out to be a Congress worker

The recent JNU controversy has once again brought the darker side of the Indian media, who wouldn’t hesitate in twisting facts to suit their narrative. In one such example, media portal Newslaundry, in a bid to target ABVP for the alleged violence, was caught red handed as they portrayed that an AIIMS doctor exposed the ‘superficial injuries’ of ABVP affiliated students, even when facts proved otherwise.

According to a report published by Newslaundry, there was difference between the injuries of the left wing students and the right winged students. The left wing student leaders had sustained serious injuries, while ABVP affiliated students had sustained injuries that were serious in nature, while the injuries sustained by ABVP were more of a superficial nature. To quote the observations of Harjit Singh Bhatti, a medical doctor allegedly on duty that night, 15 people were brought to the Trauma Centre from JNU after sustaining injuries.

“Medically speaking, the injuries their activists allegedly sustained looked superficial. So, their claim seems questionable. Some alleged ABVP fellows with superficial injuries also got themselves admitted into the emergency and were making the other patients and doctors uncomfortable. Besides, when they sent ambulances from AIIMS to the JNU campus to bring the other injured, about 100 goons attacked the vehicle and the medical team inside it.”

Bhatti further added, “Two of our doctors and a few medical volunteers were manhandled by the mob. The doors and windows of the ambulance were shattered too. They threatened the medical team to leave the spot immediately. When the ambulance was chased away by the goons from JNU, the medical team went to the Vasant Kunj Police Station to lodge a complaint.”

Ex NDTV journalist Barkha Dutt wholly endorsed his claims as she tweeted, “In the first official word on the injuries in #JNU mob attack @DrHarjitBhatti tells #Mojo that 23 people are admitted with injuries at the Trauma Centre, students, but also teachers. Most injuries from blunt & sharp objects both & 2 have lacerations. Watch [the video below]” –

However, when the report was published online, it found few takers. Investigative users took note and quickly found that Bhatti wasn’t exactly the person he claimed himself as. Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti claimed that he was present at the trauma centre of AIIMS, and was informed about the seriousness of the injuries sustained by JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh. However, the moment he ranted that the students from ABVP were ‘faking their injuries’ was the moment some users felt that something was fishy.

They weren’t wrong either, as it was soon found that Dr. Harjit Bhatti wasn’t employed at the AIIMS as of now. But the important fact to note is that Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti is not a doctor at the AIIMS. His Twitter profile says he was president of the Resident Doctors’ Association at AIIMS, but does not inform about his current medical practice. The Alumni page of AIIMS says that he is working at Manipal Hospital in Delhi.

Independent journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra tweeted, “I just called up Manipal hospital in Delhi to check if there is a Dr Bhatti there as listed as his current job on the AIIMS website. Receptionist says no doctor by that name. Also checked website & no doctor by that name” –

https://twitter.com/Iyervval/status/1214190688125849601

Soon enough, it was also found out that Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti was also a member of the Young Congress. Noted journalist Swati Goel Sharma mentioned in a long Twitter thread – “In this Newslaundry report, I was surprised to find a quote by a doctor that the injuries sustained by ABVP students last night seemed superficial I mean, doctors don’t profile injured people like this. It’s neither possible nor professional. Then I did some quick research.”

Swati further added, “The report says the students were rushed to AIIMS. And quotes one Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, introduced as ‘former president of the Resident Doctors’ Association at AIIMS who had rushed to the hospital’. See his comment on ABVP studentsTurns out this doctor is an anti-CAA activist who has been mobilising crowds against the Act and “Modi Shah” NL, he is hardly an expert medical voice to be quoted for student injuries” –

As such, Newslaundry and Barkha Dutt were caught shamelessly lying on the JNU violence just so that they could peddle their half baked narrative on the same. In the very same article, they also mentioned the ordeal of a student Soori Krishnan, who had received serious head injuries. To mention an extract from the report, “Soori Krishnan, a masters’ student at the university, was one of the several injured on Sunday evening. He was dragged by one of the ABVP members from the peace march.” 

“When I tried to push my way out, five or six others surrounded me and started abusing [me] in Hindi,” Krishnan said. “They then hit me as a group with metal rods before I could manage to run away. I have two stitches on my head and severe bruises on both the arms.”

However, within hours of the incident, photographs of Soori being welcomed at Kerala airport was spotted online, where he looked absolutely fine, as if he had suffered no injury at all. Is there no limit to shamelessly lying dear News Laundry? –

The leftist media is leaving no stone unturned to make mountains of mole hills in context to the JNU violence. However, it seems that they have never read the tale of the mischievous shepherd, who used to cry ‘The Wolf Has Come’. By the time the wolf actually came and created mayhem, none of the villagers believed the boy. If they don’t realize their follies, the media might face the same fate as well.