As list of students called for a meeting with the dean includes names of those not part of the association, they believe authorities are targeting them for protesting against atrocities
The list of names that has been pasted on the hostel room doors of students
The situation at JJ Hospital and Grant Medical College is getting worse than ever. Almost 10 days after a supposed 'ruckus' at the college during a Holi event, the college authorities recorded the statement of two guards regarding the incident and initiated an inquiry against the students. However, the students are of the opinion that they were being targeted for raising their voice against the atrocities of dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale.
ADVERTISEMENT
Days after mid-day highlighted the alleged atrocities faced by the female students of the college and the undue mental pressure that doctors working at the hospital were facing due to the dean's diktats, as many as 14 students have been summoned for a meeting. Lists of their names have been pasted on their hostel room doors. However, the student association has raised concerns over the fact that instead of summoning just members, the authorities have called non-members as well,
which was nothing but a way of targeting them.
'They are targeting us'
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a member of the Grant Medical College student association said, "If the dean wants to discuss the on-going issues, the authorities should only call the members of the association. But why are they calling other students? And how did they identify the others? The list also includes the names of female students who are not part of the association.
This clearly shows they are targeting us." Complaining of mental torture by the authorities, a female student said, "Do you think this can be an elite medical institute? Are we criminals that the authority has to put up our names? If they want to discuss the issues, we have the student association for it. This is nothing less than a jail."
A member of the student association said, "After the dean imposed the diktat on female students, we raised the issue with the authorities concerned. At that time they told us about a ruckus during a Holi event on March 21, of which we were not aware. When we started questioning the incident, they recorded the statements of two guards just to harass us. Why did they wait for 10 days to question them? We have demanded immediate transfer of the two guards." "They are doing this to save themselves from the complaints we have registered with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research," he added.
Also Read: Mumbai: Woman drinks phenyl during police interrogation; rushed to hospital
Meanwhile, the student association has also filed a complaint for illegally using the boys' common room as a kitchen for the patients at the hospital. The JJ authorities had sought three months' time to use the area as a kitchen as the one in the hospital was being constructed. Even though three months are over, the common room has not been given back to the students.
'Illegally occupied'
"The common room has been illegally occupied by Medical Superintendent Dr Sanjay Surase. He is unwilling to vacate the premises since more than a year," reads the letter that students have sent to DMER.
Refuting the claim, Dr Chandanwale said, "The kitchen that was constructed at the common room was shifted even before I took charge in December last year. This must have caused inconvenience to the students, but the kitchen was shifted long ago." However, when mid-day visited the common room, the kitchen was still found to be there.
When asked about the letter sent to the students who are not part of the association, he said, "Due to some error, the names of non-association members got mentioned in the list of students called for the meeting. But we have cancelled it now and only called the members of the association for the meeting. We will hear the students' problems and act accordingly."
Also Read: JJ hospital dean comes up with new diktats, doctors term it as impractical
Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
