BJP defends J-K minister accused of harassing lady doctor

BJP today stood by Jammu and Kashmir Minister of Health Chowdhary Lal Singh and termed as "baseless" the allegations of misbehavior leveled against him by a lady doctor.
"The recent incident of allegations being leveled against Health Minister Chowdhary Lal Singh by a doctor aims to sabotage the efforts being made by the minister to enforce discipline in medical services and instill confidence in the minds of people," BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi told reporters here.
"What is wrong in the minister asking a doctor at an official function to wear her apron? How was this construed as an offence by the doctor concerned?

Sethi alleged that some elements with "vested interests" were trying to exploit the situation and attempting to rally behind the doctor without understanding who was at fault.
"The whole effort aims at removing the minister from his post so that the malpractices in the medical sector continues as such," he said.
"In Jammu and Kashmir, there have been large scale irregularities in the medical services," he claimed.

He said the party supports Singh in his efforts to improve the health care facility in the state.
"Lal Singh is on a mission to improve the state's health sector so that the people don't die in the want of health care. The entire party and the people of the state stand with him in his endeavor," he said.

Doctor Gurmeet Kour, in a complaint to the police, had alleged that the minister misbehaved with her during a function of a Jammu hospital and used "harsh words" in full public view.