R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, APRIL 21
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Tuesday regretted the episodes where locals opposed the burial of doctors who died of COVID-19 in the city and urged all to respect the dedication of the health workers.
He also equated doctors, besides other frontline workers in the battle against coronavirus, to God for the “selfless” services rendered by them.
The due protocol was being followed in the burial of such victims, he said. “It is sad the burial of doctors was opposed to at a time when (doctors) are fighting to protect us against coronavirus,” he wrote on his official twitter handle, @CMOTamilNadu. “We all should respect their dedication and act with humanity,” he added.
மக்கட்பணியில் ஈடுபட்டு இன்னுயிர் நீத்த மருத்துவர்களை நல்லடக்கம் செய்வதில் நிகழ்ந்த துயர சம்பவங்கள் இனி நிகழாமல் இருக்க உரிய பாதுகாப்பு நடவடிக்கைகளை அரசு உறுதியாக எடுக்கும்.
எனவே மருத்துவர்களும், களப்பணியாளர்களும் அச்சமடைய வேண்டாம்; அரசு என்றும் உங்களுக்கு முழுமையாக துணைநிற்கும். pic.twitter.com/vZO5SfvRQA
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) April 21, 2020
In two separate incidents in the last week, two doctors died of COVID-19 in the city but locals protested against their burial on grounds of fears of a spread of the pandemic. On both occasions, the mortal remains were buried elsewhere after officials could not perform the formalities in the originally selected localities.
Refusal of burial space for anyone who succumbs to #COVID19 will not b tolerated by d #TNGovt. It’s so disheartening to see people’s attitude towards #FrontLineHeroes who sacrifice their life in saving people.Hon’ble CM strictly warns action against deliberate behaviour like this pic.twitter.com/1yjOvjcJuT
— Dr C Vijayabaskar – Say No To Drugs & DMK (@Vijayabaskarofl) April 21, 2020
Incidentally, on Sunday night an orthopaedic surgeon had to bury his associate, a neurosurgeon who died of COVID- 19, in the middle of the night using his bare hands and a shovel at a crematorium with the help of just two hospital ward boys after the undertakers fled when a mob, protesting the internment, attacked them using bricks, stones, bottles, and sticks and chased them away.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Palaniswami said frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19 such as doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and police personnel were engaged in “selfless” duty.
“The whole country is praising them for their work. I consider these, who are working to protect lives, equal to God,” he said in the statement.
He further said the government has ordered that the burial or cremation of people who had died of coronavirus be done with “due protection” but expressed regret over the incidents where people protested against such formalities for the deceased doctors.
Referring to a couplet from Thirukkural, he urged people to show respect to those selfless persons who die while trying to protect the public and sought due cooperation.
Assuring his government’s “total support” to such frontline workers, he said his government will take due steps to ensure such incidents do not repeat and asked them not to have any fears.
Chennai City police have arrested 21 people responsible for preventing the decent burial of neurosurgeon who died of coronavirus on Sunday Night. Great Chennai City Police has warned that those who oppose decent burial of coronavirus victims would be prosecuted under Goodas Act in a tweet. Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan expressed his regret for the disgraceful incident that prevented decent burial of neurosurgeon Simon over phone to his wife on Tuesday.
Warning: People obstructing burials due to Corona deaths will be prosecuted under the Goonda Act.
— GREATER CHENNAI POLICE -GCP (@chennaipolice_) April 21, 2020
IMA, TNGDA thanked government
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association and the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association thanked the government for arresting 21 men involved in obstructing and attacking people during the burial of a neurosurgeon, a COVID-19 victim here on Sunday late night.
