Fresh controversy erupted at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after a video purportedly showing a Group D employee consuming liquor and having a biryani party inside the hospital’s emergency department went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions and raising fresh questions over discipline and security inside the institution.
Reacting to the controversy on Friday, Kashipur-Belgachhia MLA and member of the hospital’s Rogi Kalyan Samiti, Ritesh Tiwari, said the RG Kar issue was not confined only to the much-discussed Abhaya case and that a comprehensive probe into various alleged irregularities at the hospital would be conducted. He further asserted that both the state government and his party were following a “zero tolerance policy” against corruption and misconduct. Referring to the action initiated against the employee concerned, Tiwari said departmental proceedings had already been started and the individual had also been “confined” for his alleged anti-social activities.
The latest controversy surfaced after a video circulated widely online showing a man in a pink shirt sitting on a chair with biryani placed in front of him and a glass of liquor in his hand. The footage allegedly showed a drinking session taking place inside the hospital’s emergency section. The person seen in the video was later identified as Ranjit Gosai, a Group D employee of the hospital. As the clip spread rapidly on social media platforms, protests and criticism mounted over alleged consumption of alcohol within the hospital premises.
When contacted, the accused employee claimed the video was old and denied knowledge about who had circulated it now. “I help poor patients get admitted. The video may be quite old. Someone has suddenly made it viral now. I do not know anything about it,” he said. Hospital authorities, however, confirmed that action had already been initiated against the employee. Hospital principal Manas Mukhopadhyay said Gosai had been transferred to another department.
Meanwhile, some hospital staff alleged that Gosai was previously associated with the Trinamul Congress and later claimed allegiance to the BJP after the political change in the state. They also alleged that he had recently attended a Rogi Kalyan Samiti meeting chaired by MLA Ritesh Tiwari . Tiwari, however, said the hospital administration is strongly handling any matter regarding any offence.
“The episode however has once again brought RG Kar Medical College under scrutiny, nearly two years after the Abhaya controversy had exposed serious concerns regarding security and alleged misconduct within the hospital campus,” senior Congress leader Soumya Aich Roy said.abi