GJM News | GJM leaders meet Mamata over doctor Chhetri's arrest in AMRI case

Senior leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on Monday met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the arrest of Managing Director of the AMRI hospital Moni Chhetri, a nonagenarian doctor, once considered a luminary in his field.

They said his arrest in connection with the fire at the AMRI hospital had hurt the sentiments of the hill people since they considered him one of their own. Senior GJM leader Harkabahadur Chhetri told journalists after the meeting that he was apprehensive that the incident might spark unrest in the hills as some organisations were planning to take out a procession on this issue.

This was conveyed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during a meeting that Mr. Harkabahadur Chhetri and another GJM leader Tilok Dewan had. They also met Home Secretary G.D. Gautama.

Mr. Harkabahadur Chhetri said Dr. Moni Chhetri was a revered person in the hills and the State government was requested to handle his case with care and caution, with due respect to his advanced age and his contribution to the field of medicine.

“I urged her to arrange for his bail or fast-track the case,” the GJM leader said Referring to the Chief Minister's statement made before him that Dr. Chhetri was not arrested as a doctor, but as the managing director of the AMRI hospital, the GJM legislator said the Chief Minister said law would take its course but Dr. Chhetri was free to stay in any hospital or nursing home of his choice as per his health requirements.

Last Friday, the police arrested 92-year-old Dr. Chhetri and Dr. Pronab Dasgupta. They were remanded in police custody till February 2.

The arrests of the two eminent doctors on the board of directors of the AMRI Hospitals, Dhakuria, in the devastating hospital fire last month has sparked a strong reaction from the medical community also.

Members of the medical fraternity said a doctor on the board of directors of any hospital was concerned about medical administration and not about no-objection certificates of the Fire department or municipal corporations.

Doctors claimed that the arrested doctors were not involved in the hospital's day-to-day functioning and if they were put behind bars, then the government representatives on the board should also be taken into custody.(The hindu)

Chhetri arrest may spark tension in Hills: GJM

KOLKATA: Kalimpong MLA and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) spokesperson Harka Bahadur Chhetri called on the chief minister on Monday and expressed his party's fear that the arrest of nonagenarian Mani Chhetri, the MD of AMRI Hospitals, could spark tension in the hills.

Chhetri and Pranab Dasgupta, member of AMRI board, were arrested last week in connection with the fire at the hospital that had killed more than 90 people.

Keeping the hills peaceful had been a tough challenge for the state government and it appears that tension is always simmering inside.

According to the GJM spokesperson, Chhetri is an icon of Darjeeling. "He is the intellectual representative of the people of the hills and the people there have been immensely hurt at his arrest," he said.

"There are many organizations that want to organize protest rallies and we are afraid that this could spark tension in the hills," Harka Bahadur said after the meeting, adding that he had informed about this to the state home secretary GD Gautama.

Harka, along with Darjeeling MLA Trilok Dewan, told the CM and home secretary Gautama that the doctor had considered Kolkata to be his second home and though he could have stayed in the hills, he had chosen to be in the city and treat patients. "All these should have been taken into consideration. Moreover, at his age, the decision to arrest him was not correct," he said.

"The CM admitted that his contribution as a doctor is immense but the law must take its course. She also said that Mani Chhetri could be taken to a nursing home if it was felt necessary," the MLA said. "We don't want to go against the law either, but the case must be put on fast track so that the outcome is known quickly."

Harka Bahadur added that there was a feeling that a lobby had been pushing the government to arrest Mani Chhetri. "He wasn't arrested immediately, and this shows that there was something to it."

TOI