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WORLD  Bhaktivedanta Hospital Vandalised FROM MUMBAI NEWSLINE MUMBAI, Sep 22 (VNN) — Hospital attacked by the Sena announces lockout Two days after Shiv Sena activists vandalised Bhaktivedanta Hospital at Mira Road, the authorities have decided to shut the facility till ''normalcy returns''. Destroying a hospital may be old hat for the Sena, but for the 450-odd employees, the lockout is worrisome. The hospital's Sena-led union was protesting because eight of 192 hospital employees were unhappy with a recent wage settlement. Chief Executive Officer of the hospital Rajesh Talwar said the hospital stopped fresh admissions on Thursday evening. Some patients in the 130-bed hospital will be discharged and shifted elsewhere. Talwar added that a handful of employees owing allegiance to the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena have been stopping other employees at railway stations and visiting them at home to threaten them with dire consequences. ''We don't want to risk the safety of our staff and patients,'' he said. Leader of the recognised Bhaktivedanta Hospital Employees Welfare Association, Minanath Pande, said the employees naturally wouldn't want the hospital to shut down, but ''we stand by the management's decision since such terror tactics have to stop''. Several staff members condemned the Sena's style of protest. Nursing Superintendent Kadambari Lad said the management has taken the right decision. Other nurses agree-they work in odd shifts and are now nervous when they're travelling alone. Sena leader Suryakant Mahadik, who spearheaded the agitation, said: ''This institution is run in the name of Lord Krishna by the ISKCON. I hope the good counsel of Krishna prevails upon them and they revoke the lockout. If they call us for discussions, we are willing to comply.'' He denied that his men were threatening employees and claimed that about 150 employees had switched over to the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena in the last two days. Copyright Mumbai Newsline Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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