J-K minister defends himself against charges of harassment

Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Health Chowdhary Lal Singh, who faces charges of misbehaving with a lady doctor for not wearing an apron, today sought to defend himself saying that he was concerned about patients' convenience.
"She is like my younger sister and that was the first time I had met her. How can it be a misbehaviour if I asked her to wear her apron?" he told reporters at a press conference.
"It was an official function and when I was being introduced to the doctors, I just asked her why she was not wearing her apron. I just want to maintain discipline in the health department so that patients and their attendants don't have to move from pillar to post to find out who the doctor or who the health worker is," he said.

He also said the state government is planning to impose a ban on private practice by the doctors appointed by it in the state hospitals.
"We are just holding discussions over the issue and will see what has to be done," Minister for Health Chowdhary Lal Singh told reporters at a press conference.
He said the private practice by government doctors has become a tradition in Jammu and Kashmir while it was not a norm at hospitals like AIIMS and other big health institutions across the country.