NEW DELHI, Aug 21: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga was forced to issue a public apology on behalf of his daughter after protests by medical professionals and strong criticism in the social media for assaulting a doctor in his private clinic.
The apology was issued on Sunday after the video of the incident that occurred on Wednesday went viral. The Chief Minister’s daughter Milari Chhangte was reportedly upset after the doctor, a dermatologist with a clinic in state capital Aizawl, refused to see her without an appointment. The doctor had asked the Chief Minister’s daughter to take an appointment before turning up at the clinic for consultation.
The video of the incident that went viral shows the Chief Minister’s daughter walking up to the doctor and hitting him on the face as others try to hold her back. After the video went viral about two days ago, the Chief Minister and his family members drew criticism on social media. The Mizoram unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) started a protest and doctors wore black badges to work on Saturday.
The chief minister eventually tendered a public apology through his official Instagram handle. In the handwritten note he uploaded in his post, the Chief Minister said he apologises for his daughter’s “misbehaviour” with the Aizawl-based dermatologist and added that he would, in no way, justify her conduct.
(Manas Dasgupta)