Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut, known for consistently making foot in the mouth remarks, was recently made the butt of all jokes on social media websites for his outrageous remarks against the doctors.
In an interview a few days back, Raut made deprecatory remarks against the doctors fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Raut asserted that compounders of the doctors were more informed about the medical profession than the doctors themselves.
“Doctors do not know anything….Compounders are better….I always take medicine from a compounder, never from a doctor….WHO is a useless organisation. Because of WHO, the Covid-19 pandemic happened,” Raut said in the interview to a Marathi channel.
As Raut’s scornful remarks drew the ire of the Indian Medical Association, netizens on social media websites mocked the Shiv Sena spokesperson for his ridiculous statements. Though Sanjay Raut defended himself saying his remarks were directed at the WHO that had bungled up the response to coronavirus pandemic, netizens were unsparing in flaying him for insulting doctors.
The response from social media users is of particular significance, considering the eager willingness displayed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to prosecute those who make critical remarks against the government and its leaders on the social media websites.
Twitter users mock Sanjay Raut for his statements on doctors
Taking a swipe at Raut, one of the Twitter users mocked him in reference to his claim last year that the next chief minister of Maharashtra would be from Shiv Sena. On a similar line, the Twitter user posted, “Agla compounder Shiv Sena se hoga(The next compounder will be from Shiv Sena).”
It is notable here that Sena’s adamant insistence that the next CM will be from their party had broken their pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
Sanjay Rout : Agla compounder shiv sena se hoga!
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) August 18, 2020
Similarly, other Twitter users also joined in to make fun of Sanjay Raut. One shared Sanjay Raut’s photo saying “Agla penguin Shiv Sena se hoga(The next penguin will be from Shiv Sena)”.
Agla Penguin Shiv Sena se ayega 🐧 pic.twitter.com/HOBaBAeD5m
— Saurav Sen (@100ravsen) August 18, 2020
Yet another Twitter user wrote: “Agla WHO chief Shiv Sena se hoga (The next WHO chief will be from Shiv Sena)”.
अगला WHO प्रमुख शिवसेना से होगा pic.twitter.com/ti0FBsMfp3
— Dalip Pancholi🇮🇳 (@DalipPancholi) August 18, 2020
With the liberal establishment in the country drooling over the candidature of Kamala Harris for the post of vice-president of the United States, a Twitter user mocked Sanjay Raut by sharing his picture and tweeting “Agli Kamala Harris Shiv Sena se hogi(The next Kamala Harris will be from Shiv Sena)”.
Agli Kamala haris shivsena se hogi pic.twitter.com/8jGxeDWJab
— Nikita (@_Nikki_Oye) August 18, 2020
One Twitter user drew a parallel between Sanjay Raut and Congress leaders such as Surjewala and Shashi Tharoor, claiming that the role of Sanjay Raut is same as that of Surjewala and Shashi Tharoor in the Congress party which is to utter nonsense so that their masters appear relatively more intelligent.
Sanjay Raut has same role in Shiv Sena that Surjewala, Tharoor, etc have in Congress. They say stupid things so that their masters can appear relatively intelligent. 100/100 for loyalty.
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) August 18, 2020
Shiv Sena goes after social media users who criticise them
The Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray has time and again initiated punitive action against social media users for criticising the government. Recently, a Twitter user named Sunaina Holey was arrested by the police on the charges of posting critical content directed at Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray. Rohan Chavhan, a Shiv Sena functionary had urged police to take action against her under section 294 (using obscene language in a public place), 499 (defamation), 506 (criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections of the IPC and Section 66A of the Information Act 2000 within 48 hours.
Earlier, another Twitter user Sameet Thakkar was booked for his tweets referring to Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray as ‘Baby Penguin’ on the microblogging website. Dharmendra Mishra, legal head of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, had filed a complaint against Sameet Thakkar, a Twitter user, for alleged ‘derogatory’ tweets against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray and Energy Minister Nitin Raut.
Indian Medical Association seeks Raut’s resignation
The comments made by Sanjay Raut against the doctors have not sat well with the Indian Medical Association. In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Indian Medical Association condemned Raut’s statement and asked for his resignation. They said, “the healthcare workers are working at great risk not only to themselves personally but also risking their dependents… spouses, children and aged senior citizen patients.” IMA said that at this critical time, they expect government and politicians to stand with them. They condemned the statement made by Raut that doctors know nothing and compounders know more. “We condemn this behaviour and ask for his resignation,” they added.
