Indian Church hails Covid-19
law punishing assault on health workers
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| Indian doctors protesting against assault on health workers (AFP) |
According to Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu, the new law is
needed to protect the ‘corona warriors’ who are like angels at this time of the
pandemic.
By Robin Gomes
The Catholic Church of India has welcomed a new ordinance
that criminalizes as a punishable offence attacks against healthcare workers
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Covid-19 law
The Indian government’s amendment to the Epidemic Diseases
Act 1897, approved on April 22, stipulates stiff jail terms and fines for
violators.
"Health workers who are trying to save the country from
this epidemic are unfortunately facing attacks,” said Information and
Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on April 22. “No incident
of violence or harassment, against them will be tolerated. An ordinance has
been brought in, it'll be implemented after the President's sanction," he
told a press conference in New Delhi.
Church welcomes measure
“The law is needed at this juncture as there were reports of
‘corona warriors’ being attacked in some states, which is very unfortunate as
they are risking their lives to save us from this world pandemic,” said
Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu of Visakhapatnam.
The healthcare workers “are like angels at this time of
emergency who have put their duty first, not even thinking of the consequences
of dealing with such a disease,” he told UCANEWS. They “are not
only putting their lives at risk but their family members as well,” said the
archbishop who is chairman of the Office for Health Care of the Catholic Bishops’
Conference of India (CBCI).
“If we don’t appreciate them,” the archbishop said, “then we
don’t even have the right to attack them as they are doing their duties
religiously.”
Jail terms, fines, compensation
“If the injuries are serious, the punishment will
range from six months to seven years [in jail] and carry a fine of between
100,000 and 500,000 rupees,” Javadekar told reporters.
He said that the amended law will also be invoked if
healthcare workers face harassment from their landlords. The offence under the
amended law will be cognizable and non-bailable, which means the police can
arrest the accused and only courts can release them on bail.
The minister added that the amended law also has provisions
to provide compensation for damage or loss of property of health workers.
Healthcare workers under attack
The media has been reporting numerous attacks on medical
professionals in India, including sexual harassment of female doctors and
nurses and police being pelted with stones, that have caused concern among
health professionals and the government during the pandemic lockdown.
A video on mobs chasing and throwing stones at two female
doctors in Indore went viral online. There have also been reports of many other
attacks on health professionals in other states, such as Gujarat, Karnataka and
Uttar Pradesh. Health workers and the families also face harassment and
discrimination at home from their landlords and neighbours for fear of
infection.
Healthcare professionals and workers had planned a
nationwide silent protest on April 22-23 against attacks on them.
Father Paul Parathazham, director of St. John’s National
Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore, also welcomed the new law saying it
“was much needed and long due as medical personnel are going through physical
as well as mental stress,” which could affect their work. (Source –
UCANEWS)
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