Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday announced the suspension of seven party functionaries, including its Palghar district and city chiefs Kundan Sankhe and Rahul Gharat, for assaulting and abusing staff at a private hospital on September 5.
The suspensions were recommended by the Shiv Sena’s disciplinary committee, according to party secretary Sanjay More.
“If something wrong was done by the hospital, they should have used the legal remedy. “The Shiv Sena does not and will never condone violence against doctors or any healthcare professional. The incident in Palghar is deeply regrettable and completely unacceptable,” he had added. Mhatre was arrested following the incident.
The incident led to widespread outrage, especially as it occurred just two months after a group led by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre allegedly assaulted doctors and medical staff at a civic hospital in Dombivli on July 6.
Shinde had also said that Gharat would be expelled from the party after following due procedure. Taking the law into their hands cannot be tolerated, and the party will not shield such people,” Shinde had said. After the incident snowballed into a major controversy, an irked Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde had condemned the assault and announced Gharat’s suspension on Monday.
