Publicity guised as vote of thanks?

KEM hospital pulled down banners put up by retiring clerk

On Wednesday morning, the civic-run KEM hospital pulled down some 18 banners put up on its premises. The banners were all erected by a hospital clerk, who retires on May 1, as a gesture of his gratitude to the hospital that has employed him for 35 years, he said. But hospital authorities were not overjoyed with the 'exaggerated thank you'. Although the clerk, Pramod Mudras, said he wanted to thank the hospital staff, his colleagues questioned his intentions, saying that if it was nothing more than a gesture of gratitude, why had he blatantly cited his political affiliations on them. Why, indeed.

All the banners were eye-catching. Many were massive. They dotted the hospital entrance, and a popular political party's name was clearly mentioned on them. Hospital staff said that Mudras was aiming for publicity.
A security personnel requesting anonymity said, "Mudras has worked for more than 30 years. He should know what is wrong and what is right. Putting up so many banners is a mere publicity stunt. In my life span, this is first time I have seen such a thing."

One of his colleagues at the hospital said, "He shouldn't have put up so many banners, that show off his political affiliation."u00a0 But Mudras maintains that it was nothing more than a vote of thanks. He said, "These banners were just a vote of thanks. I wasn't aiming for any publicity but wanted to thank all the people who have helped me during the 35 years of my work at the hospital."

Within an hour of their coming up, the authorities got wind of what staffers call a "cry for attention". When they asked the security personnel to pull them down, Mudra allegedly picked up an argument with the assistant dean. After claiming something to the effect that he had worked for the hospital for long enough to deserve that, he said, "I will put up the banners again."

Official speaks
Assistant Dean Narayan Bhosale said, "Why does one have to put up so many banners for a vote of thanks? He could have given gifts to the hospital staff or donated money to the hospital, instead of spending so much on this banner."

He added, "We told him that one or two banners are fine, but putting up so many without any permission (from civic authorities) is illegal. People are coming and asking us about them." The BMC ward officer Harshad Kale of F South ward, under whose jurisdiction the hospital falls, wasn't available for comment.