Rajya Sabha passes bill to punish those attacking healthcare workers

Rajya Sabha on Saturday passed a Bill providing for up to seven years jail for those attacking doctors and healthcare workers involved in the fight against Covid-19 or any instance similar to the current pandemic.

The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to replace an Ordinance issued on April 22 attracted support from all quarters though demands were raised to bring sanitary staff, ASHA workers, and Covid-19 warriors in emergency services like police.

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The government had promulgated the ordinance amid rising incidents of attack on doctors and healthcare workers amid the pandemic. It had aimed to make such attacks a non-bailable offense with provisions of a penalty and a jail term of up to seven years.

Under the Bill, the commission or abetment of such violence will be punishable with imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs two lakh. In case of causing grievous hurt, the imprisonment shall be for a term of six months to seven years and with a fine of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 5,00,000.

"We have all noticed that there has been a dramatic decline in the incidents of violence against health workers all over the country," Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said introducing the Bill.

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"Everyone was feeling sad and bad. That was the time the government thought of taking a proactive step. When the government reviewed, it found there were minimal laws and powers in some states. There was a need to have a central law to put in place a prohibitory mechanism to stop such activities," he said.

Moving a statutory resolution opposing the issuance of the ordinance, CPI Parliamentary Party leader Binoy Vishwam highlighted that many hospitals are not paying full salaries to doctors and nurses while PPE kits are not being given.

Congress Deputy Leader Anand Sharma suggested that police and personnel from other departments engaged in Covid-19 duties should also be brought under the ambit of the Bill.

He also demanded setting up a national task force for a comprehensive review and amendment to make the proposed Act contemporary and add lessons learned during the crisis.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien accused the Centre of interfering in the functioning of states through the Bill. "There are sinister provisions in the Bill. The States must be authorised to take decisions.”