Nasir Azam
Srinagar, May 22: The Government of India has submitted before the Jammu & Kashmir High Court that Ministry of Home Affairs did not support the bill to address the issue of assault on health care service personnel and clinical establishments, reasoning that it would give rise to similar demands from other categories of professionals.
In a communication placed before the Court by Vishal Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General of India, the MHA has submitted that it did not support the bill.
“It is stated that while examining the draft Legislation received through Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, titled “Health Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Act, 2019” to address the issue of assault on health care service personnel and clinical establishments, Ministry of Home Affairs did not support the bill…,” states the communique from Ashok Kumar Pal, MHA’s under secretary, which is available with the news agency KNO.
The MHA further stated that it didn’t support the bill because “enacting a separate Legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other health care professional would give rise to similar demands from other categories of professionals, viz. Media persons, advocates, bankers, charted accountants, etc.
The MHA communique further states that State is duty bound to protect life and property of all its citizens including professionals like media persons, doctors, engineers, advocates, bankers, etc,” the communique states.
After hearing different parties, the High Court directed ASG to submit report regarding receipt of complaints from any category of professionals (other than the health care service personnel) including media persons, Bankers, Advocates, Chartered Accountants, etc. making a grievance that they were suffering violence and seeking enactment of legislation on the same.
“A report in this regard shall be filed by Mr. Vishal Sharma, ASGI, before us,” the Court directed.