NEW DELHI: The ruling DMK has come under fire from opposition parties in the state after an on-duty government doctor was stabbed by a man posing as a patient at a multispecialty hospital in Chennai. While chief minister Stalin promptly condemned the incident and directed authorities to take necessary steps, several senior leaders from the BJP and AIADMK have pinned the blame on the ruling DMK for ‘deteriorating’ law and order.
The incident comes against the backdrop of a nationwide call by doctors for stricter security measures at hospitals and stronger central and state laws to address attacks on medical professionals. This demand has intensified following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a government hospital in Kolkata.
State BJP chief Annamalai quickly raised the matter, singling out the state government for not adopting an effective approach to tackle the rise in criminal cases across the state. “Even though doctors, nurses, and hospital staff have been assaulted several times, the DMK government has not taken any action,” Annamalai said.
Annamalai, who has often attacked the state government on law and order issues, said that “Every time such untoward incidents occur, the chief minister, who is in control of law and order, says the government will take action but does nothing. This raises questions about the safety of the public.”
Read also: Chennai doctor stabbed by disgruntled patient’s son at hospital
BJP’s national secretary joined the clamor, saying that despite repeated violent acts against doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, the DMK government has consistently failed to implement concrete preventive measures, leaving medical personnel vulnerable.
“The shocking incident involving Dr. Balaji Jagannath, an oncologist, being attacked within Chennai’s Government Hospital premises is deeply disturbing,” he wrote in his post on X.
“Chief minister Stalin’s continued assurances of action have yet to materialize meaningfully, and public safety remains compromised,” he added.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned the attack, stating that the incident highlighted the “insecure situation of doctors in government hospitals in Tamil Nadu.” She also raised why only deputy CM Udhaynidhi paid a visit and CM Stalin did not.
The AIADMK also joined in, accusing the DMK of failing to maintain law and order in the state. Former chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami pointed to multiple recent incidents involving similar crimes, accusing the state government of disrupting law and order to such an extent that even “heinous crimes can be committed anywhere without any fear.”
“The shocking incident of Dr. Balaji being stabbed in broad daylight by unknown assailants underscores this issue. Already on November 5 in Trichy ESI Hospital, a six-member gang attacked government doctor Muthu Karthikeyan. The fact that even government doctors are not safe in government hospitals reflects the state of law and order under this regime,” he wrote on X.
“I have visited the injured doctor, a senior professional, and interacted with him. This was clearly a well-planned assault… We strongly condemn it,” said former Tamil Nadu minister and AIADMK leader C. Vijayabaskar, who met the injured doctor at the hospital. He added, “The Leader of the Opposition has repeatedly warned the CM and health minister about the lack of law and order in Tamil Nadu,” as reported by news agency ANI.
However, for its part the DMK expressed “shock” over the incident with CM Stalin saying he had directed that the injured doctor receive the necessary treatment and that a detailed enquiry into the incident be conducted.
“It is shocking that Dr. Balaji, who is working at the Guindy Kalaignar Centenary Super Specialty Hospital, was stabbed by a family member of a patient. The person involved in this incident was immediately arrested. I have instructed that all necessary medical treatment be given to Dr. Balaji and that a detailed enquiry be conducted into the matter,” the CM said.
Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin suggested that the accused had been misguided by doctors at the private hospital where his mother is currently undergoing treatment.
“Two people have been arrested, and the police will take immediate steps to arrest others involved,” said state health minister Ma Subramanian, promising swift action.
The political reactions come after Chennai-based oncologist Dr. Balaji Jaganathan was critically injured in an attack by a patient’s attendant at the Kalaignar Centenary Super-Speciality Hospital in Guindy on Wednesday morning. At around 10:15 a.m., the assailant, identified as Vignesh from Perungalathur, took an outpatient slip and waited for his turn to meet Dr. Balaji. Once inside the consultation room, he locked the door and launched a brutal attack, stabbing the doctor multiple times with a kitchen knife.
Dr. Balaji sustained serious injuries, including seven cuts to his scalp, head, neck, back, and ear. He was immediately rushed for emergency surgery.
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