BENGALURU: Tension prevailed at Minto Eye Hospital on Friday evening after members of a pro-Kannada organisation allegedly protested against the doctors for not speaking in Kannada with the patients. Meanwhile, doctors and PG students staged a protest against the pro-Kannada organisation, alleging that the members assaulted a doctor. They also threatened to boycott OPD services on Saturday, demanding that police arrest the pro-Kannada organisation members involved in the assault.
As a result, OPD services in Minto, Victoria and Bowring hospitals are likely to be affected on Saturday.
The police, however, denied there was any assault, but confirmed the presence of the activists in the hospital. According to sources, the organisation members allegedly barged into the hospital premises and questioned the doctors for not speaking Kannada. One of the women doctors allegedly got into an argument with the activists and replied to them in English. This led to a heated argument between the doctors and activists.
After the activists left, the doctors, along with the PG students, staged a protest, alleging the doctor was assaulted. One of the doctors said they have to converse with patients in many languages. For instance, if a patient comes from another state, they have to speak to the patient in his/her language.
Meanwhile, students and junior doctors of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) too protested, demanding that an FIR be registered and members of the pro-Kannada organisation apologise to them.VV Puram police rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. According to police, there was no assault and no complaint was filed by the doctors for them to begin a probe.