In the eye of a storm for his alleged threats to Kota district chief medical and health officer, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Prahalad Gunjal on Friday expressed regret for action even as the medical officer resigned protesting against the "mental harassment" over the issue of transfer of a male nurse. The audio of Gunjal's phone call to the doctor has gone viral on social media.
Booked for allegedly threatening the Chief Medical and Health Officer R N Yadav, the MLA sent a personal note to the state BJP president saying that it was an "emotional outburst". "I used some words which were not to be used. If my words have hurt anyone, or caused agony to anyone, then I regret", Gunjal said.
The accused MLA also sent a copy of the note to the chief minister's office, party sources said.
But the apology comes a little too late. The BJP has suspended Gunjal.
The BJP MLA from Kota (North) had allegedly threatened the officer with dire consequences for not issuing transfer orders to the kin of a party worker.
Yadav has meanwhile sent his resignation to the state government.
"I sent my voluntary resignation with conditions to the deputy secretary of medical and health in the secretariat by post. I sent an email too", Yadav said. "I want an assurance from the government to be allowed to work in a peaceful and congenial atmosphere, besides personal security."
Asked about the resignation, Deputy Secretary in Medical and Health Department Mahaveer Singh said, "Not to my knowledge."
Medical and Health Director B K Meena said he has not received any such information. As the issue snowballed into a controversy, Rajasthan BJP issued a notice to Gunjal seeking his explanation within five days.
State BJP President Ashok Parnami issued the notice to Gunjal late on Thursday night demanding an explanation.
Ahead of the 2008 assembly polls, Gunjal was expelled from the party, but was taken back before the 2013 elections.
Government doctors, meanwhile, boycotted work for two hours in Rajasthan demanding arrest of Gunjal. "All the in-service doctors across the state boycotted work from 9 am to 11 am against the MLA's behaviour and to demand his arrest for threatening and abusing CMHO," Dr Nasreen Bharti, a representative of the government doctors, said.
Kota police had on Thursday registered a first information report against the Kota-North MLA under various sections of IPC for intimidating and threatening the officer over phone.
SP, Kota city, Amandeep Singh Kapoor said, "We will first look into the copy of FIR and since the accused is a sitting MLA, report will be sent to state CID-CB in Jaipur for further action."
Image: BJP MLA Prahlad Gunjal threatens Kota CM over the phone
