They allege that despite the Director of Health Services texting him to explain why he couldn’t take his call and returning it later, Santosh Bangar insulted him
Santosh Bangar is an MLA from Hingoli. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar
Upset with Hingoli MLA Santosh Bangar’s behaviour, doctors have written to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde complaining about him. Bangar, known for his foul language and aggressive behaviour, insulted the Director of Health Services, the doctors have alleged.
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A senior official from the Maharashtra Health Department said, “Bangar called Dr Nitin Ambadekar, who is the director of health services, Maharashtra, two days back. Dr Ambadekar was in a meeting so he informed him via text that he would call him back. Dr Ambadekar called Bangar later, but the MLA started insulting him and using derogatory words. How can a public representative insult a senior officer? All health officers are upset with the MLA and so we wrote a letter to CM Eknath Shinde complaining about the behaviour.”
Doctors under pressure
The letter sent by members of the District Health Officers’ Organisation (DHOO) to the CM on Friday states that more than 50 per cent posts are lying vacant, due to which officers are burdened with work. Each officer handles two departments. The officers have to also attend meetings and join video conferences from Delhi. The members have asked, due to all this, if the officer is not able to take a call, but has called the MLA back, why then has he been insulted?
The letter also states that the health department recruits people on a contract basis and posts them in rural and urban areas, so that health services don’t get affected. But non-payment of salaries even after several follow ups is an issue. Due to this many contract staff had protested. Bangar had called regarding this. “We have demanded that the CM intervene in the matter. Recently Bangar slapped an officer of the mid-day meal scheme, and can also be heard in a viral audio clip abusing people,” said a member of DHOO.
‘Wanted to raise issue’
Bangar said, “People come to me with their problems. Employees are not getting salaries on time. It is festival season, how will they manage if they don’t get salary on time? So I wanted to raise the issue. I don’t know about the letter.” Dr Ambadekar did not respond to this reporter’s calls and texts regarding the matter.
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