Thaindian News

Kolkata, May 29 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Sunday hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her surprise visits to state-run hospitals, terming them publicity stunts, adding these kind of activities bring out her “whimsical and restless attitude”.

“Mamata Banerjee has started surprise visits to various state-run hospitals and her visits also includes a huge contingent of media persons. The presence of Banerjee in the hospital campus creates ruckus both among the medical staffs and the patients, which in turn, hampers the health services in the hospitals.”

“But she is not bothered about those problems that patient faces…. she is only bothered about the publicity of her visits,” said an editorial published in CPI-M mouthpiece “Ganashakti”.

After taking over the reigns of the state, Banerjee has paid several surprise visits to several state-run hospitals in city. Last week Banerjee visited super-specialty hospitals S.S.K.M. hospital, Bangur Institute of Neurosciences (BIN) and Sambhunath Pandit Hospital.

During her visit to these hospitals she had interacted with the doctors and the patients and enquired about the infrastructure of the hospitals.

Banerjee suspended BIN director Shyamapada Ghorai for alleged misconduct and insubordination during her visit to the institute.

The editorial also lambasted Banerjee for suspending Ghorai and said that the suspension has created trouble for various patients lodged in the BIN.

“The only fault of Ghorai was that she had asked her (Banerjee) to come to the room and discuss the hospital issues rather than moving around with the contingent of the media persons which was creating problems for the patients. Many patients who were scheduled to be operated or treated by Ghorai are facing life and death situation,” said the editorial, terming Ghorai’s suspension “a sign of restlessness and whimsical attitude”.

“This kind of activities only projects the restless and whimsical attitude of Banerjee. This government is only interested in threatening and pressurising others. It is not interested in an kind of logic but only in its whims and conditions,” it added.