BJP supports Dr Anitha, says they will take up the issue with Kishan Reddy

Dr Anitha Rao is gaining support from all the quarters. Dalit groups and political parties are rallying behind her to decry the assualt on the lady doctor. After the TDP general secretary slammed the Jagan government for its inaction against those who filmed her while bathing, the local BJP leaders said they will bring the issue to the notice of the national leadership.

The Andhra Pradesh unit of the BJP said they will meet Union Minister of State for Home Kishan Reddy seeking stringent action against those who emotionally and physically assaulted the Dalit doctor. “”The incident where a lady doctor was allegedly filmed while she was bathing is very shameful and deplorable. In spite of this, the accused are openly roaming outside rather than being in jail, due to which there is a lot of anger among Dalits. The Chief Minister needs to undertake strict steps in this matter so that such things could be stopped from happening in the future. Atrocities on Dalits are on the rise. We will take up the matter with our home minister Kishan Reddy garu,” a local BJP leader said. He said the government should “take stringent and immediate action against the accused to make sure that such treatment is not meted out to anyone. This is the BJP’s demand,” he said.

On Tuesday, Dr Anita Rao demanded a CBI investigation stating that she has no faith in the Andhra Pradesh police after the Jagan government ordered a CID probe. Dr Anitha Rani levelled serious accusations against the YSRCP leaders saying the YSRCP leaders had filmed her while bathing and abused her with choicest expletives. She said, for more than two months, she was subjected to harassment by the YSRCP leaders for raising several malpractices and corruption issues in the government hospital. Further, she stated that when she had approached the Penumuru police to register a case against the YSRCP leaders, they ignored her complaint.

On Monday, Chittoor DMHO M Penchalaiah suspended the Dalit doctor and branded her mentally imbalanced. Penchalaiah while suspending Dr Anitha Rani said, “For over 15 years, she has not been properly treating the patients. She has often picked up arguments and fights with the staff of the hospital in Penumuru village of Chittoor district. Her state of mind is questionable.” Dr Anitha Rani had already moved the High Court. “The Andhra Pradesh government has so far not filed a counter in the High Court. This clearly goes to prove that there is no case against me. For two months, the police did not even register a complaint. I had submitted the videos and photographs. Now, suddenly the government has ordered a CID probe. I have no trust in the state police, the government should order a CBI investigation ,” she demanded.

She stated that efforts were being made to project her as mentally unsound by the state government because she raised certain malpractices in the government hospital in the Penumuru village of Chittoor district just as Dr Sudhakar Rao who was suspended, arrested and confined in a mental asylum for pointing fingers at the shortage of medical equipment.