HM Orders Cops To Punish Landlords Harassing Doctors Treating COVID-19 Patients

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday, ordered Delhi Police to act against landlords who were asking doctors treating COVID-19 patients to vacate their houses. Some of them were forcibly evicted the doctors said.

Home Minister Amit Shah's timely intervention comes right after doctors complained of being ostracised. In a letter written to the Union Home Minister, the Resident Doctors Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) brought to his notice that doctors, nurses and other health care workers involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients were being asked to vacate their rented homes. The letter also stated that some of them had been forcefully evicted from the temporary houses by landlords.

The reason for the action of the landlords was stated to be the fear that they would become more susceptible to Coronavirus infection due to the proximity of healthcare professionals to patients.

The letter written by the Resident Doctors Association says that many doctors were stranded on the streets with their luggage and with nowhere to go across the country and requested the intervention of the Home Minister.

The letter further states that amidst the complete lockdown of public transport in several states working healthcare professionals while facing difficulty in reaching hospitals from their place of work and sought proper transport to health care providers across the country. They sought orders from the Home Minister to the police authorities concerned permitting them hassle-free travel to their workplace upon producing their ID cards.

A copy of the letter was marked to the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and to the Director of AIIMS in Delhi.

The action of such landlords came in for sharp criticism from several prominent personalities across the country.