The nation, in totality, is facing a battle of its life against the novel Coronavirus pandemic which originated in China. At such a time, it is impossible for any government to be absolutely perfect in discharging their duties. As a result, it becomes very important for various stakeholders, and even citizens to highlight lapses on the part of the administration, so that immediate rectification can be ensured.
Dr. Indranil Khan of West Bengal too, like a responsible member of the medical fraternity, highlighted the poor quality of personal protective equipment’s (PPE’s) being made available to the health care workers of Bengal. To begin with, they were not even PPE’s, but mere raincoats which the administration provided hospitals with.
Welcome to India’s #RainCoatDoctors fighting #Covid19 in West Bengal govt hospitals.
Asked to wear #raincoats & substandard #masks instead of #PPE, these are frontline medical workers fighting #Coronavirus in WB. #coronawarriors #COVID2019india pic.twitter.com/ky6btfwbAL
— Dr.Indranil Khan M.D. (@Indranil_Khan) March 28, 2020
The tragedy continues..
Dear CM, pls URGENTLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE. It’s going to be catastrophe! No one can save West Bengal from #Coronavirus! #IndiaFightsCoronavirus #IndiaFightsCOVID19 pic.twitter.com/8dTIEW8cD6— Dr.Indranil Khan M.D. (@Indranil_Khan) March 28, 2020
To the above tweets, the Department of Health and Family Welfare replied with, “Dear Doctor Khan, thank you for highlighting this matter. We are taking immediate steps to not only reject any defective or substandard piece (that does not conform to the Health Department’s approved sample), but also supply the PPE of microfiber variety subject to availability.”
Dear Doctor Khan, thank you for highlighting this matter. We are taking immediate steps to not only reject any defective or substandard piece (that does not conform to the Health Department's approved sample), but also supply the PPE of micro fibre variety subject to availability
— Department of Health & Family Welfare, West Bengal (@wbdhfw) March 29, 2020
It is clearly seen how raincoats are being handed out as substitutes to proper Hazmat suits. This not only endangers the lives of the health care workers, but all those who they come in contact with, and eventually will lead to a spike in the COVID-19 cases in the state, weakening India’s fight against the Chinese virus. Nevertheless, since the concerned department responded to Dr Khan’s complaint, he was satisfied that corrective steps would be taken by the government.
Government of West Bengal has taken note of my concern over inferior quality #PPE & trying to address the issue with sincerity.
Thank you @MamataOfficial #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/zWgV48n8Hq
— Dr.Indranil Khan M.D. (@Indranil_Khan) March 29, 2020
Subsequently, Dr Khan was nabbed by the Maheshtala police and detained illegally overnight at the Zinzira Bazar Investigation Centre. His mobile phone was seized too. BJP’s Amit Malviya stated that the doctor was detained at 9:30 pm on Sunday, and released at 2 pm the next day, only after he praised the Mamata government’s efforts to combat the raging pandemic. He was allegedly let go only after he put out the following tweet.
The Govt of WB is working hard to ensure safety of frontline healthcare workers & it is very important that all of us cooperate with the govt in greater interest of public health. I apologise in case my previous post has unintentionally created misconceptions among followers.
— Dr.Indranil Khan M.D. (@Indranil_Khan) March 30, 2020
Amit Malviya narrated the doctor’s ordeal on Twitter, mentioning the details in a thread.
Dr Indranil Khan, a reputed Oncologist, raised the issue of sub-standard PPE gears for doctors and nurses in WB. While the state health dept acknowledged it, he was picked up by Maheshtala police station and detained illegally overnight at the Zinzira Bazar Investigation Center.. pic.twitter.com/5isBQM2gJy
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 31, 2020
Meanwhile, Dr Indranil also tweeted the following article about China’s whistleblower doctor who was admonished for bringing out the truth about the novel coronavirus, and later died of the disease himself. The symbolism should be enough to indicate what all he must have been made to go through by Mamata’s co-opted police, for speaking against her government’s handling of the crisis at hand.
#LiWenliang #CoronaWarriorshttps://t.co/2WYyApjTaO
— Dr.Indranil Khan M.D. (@Indranil_Khan) March 30, 2020
The reference to Dr Li Wenliang of China is important, as he was harassed by the CCP and Xi Jinping’s stooges for whistleblowing in regards to an imminent outbreak of an ‘unknown disease’ in China. Four days after he had posted the message, warning his friends against the virus, Dr Wenliang was summoned to the Public Security Bureau where he was told to sign a letter. In the letter, he was accused of “making false comments” that had “severely disturbed the social order”. He was one of eight people who police said were being investigated for “spreading rumours”. In his Weibo (Chinese Twitter of sorts) post, he describes how on 10th January he started coughing, the next day he had a fever and two days later he was in the hospital. He was diagnosed with the Coronavirus on 30th January, and died in February. Dr Wenliang’s death infuriated not only the Chinese public, but the world at large, as the sinister plot of the Chinese Communist Party to hide the truth about COVID-19 lay bare for everyone to see. It has been alleged that Chinese authorities interfered with Dr Li’s treatment, leading to his death.
Mamata Banerjee is almost effortlessly mimicking the strong-arm tactics of Xi Jinping. Trying to silence those who point out one’s failure is a trait inherent to the Chinese Communist Party, and as it has now emerged, to the TMC as well. The act of detaining Dr Khan without cause, clearly an attempt to scare him into silence, and also without any record of the detention is a sign of how authoritarian Mamata Banerjee is. It is a shame that she is still allowed to preside over as the Chief Minister of a crucial state. Such dictators have no business being in public life ad must be shunted out immediately.
