Mangalore: President's Dentist Controversy - Dr Mitra Alleges Consipiracy
Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Apr 6: Dr Mitra Hegde who was away offering pooja in Kollur Mookambika temple today to fulfill the promise she had made a year ago, was astounded when friends telephoned her to tell about the revelations made by President of Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti Hanumanth Kamath and others at a press conference disproving her claims. It may be recalled that Dr Mitra had claimed in August 2010 that she has been appointed as the personal dentist of the President of India and Kamath and co gave proof to prove her claims as false.
Dr Mitra who is on her way back to Mangalore from Kollur reacting to the accusations termed them as “a conspiracy by all men who have come together with the single agenda to discredit a lady”. When daijiworld contacted her to know her reactions Dr Mitra said she stands by her claim of being the official dentist of the President of India Dr Prathibha Patil. She said “since I am out of Mangalore I am yet to verify the authenticity of the RTI query and the response to it. Only after verifying the authenticity I will be able to react and say anything concrete. I will clarify all those doubts raised by these people who are conspiring against me with suitable documents”.
She however, clarified that she does not have any official order from the President’s office to prove her credentials. She claims that appointment letters are given only to the permanent employees and not to those whose services are sought only when required by the President. She also said “I am in the process of getting necessary documents to prove my bona fides. But the process will take its own time as it involves the President of the country”.
Dr Mitra says that she has not taken any documents from the President’s office and the only so called proof she has according to her is the call which she claims she received from the President on June 29, 2010. Though she says the President has called her to consult a few times since then, she has no proof to prove it. “I cannot answer as to what kind of treatment I have given to the President as that would be unethical to discuss it in public domain”, she stated.
President does not call personally - Hanumanth Kamath
Hanumanth Kamath of Nagarika Hitarakshana Samiti says he began to doubt the claims of Dr Mitra Hegde because she had claimed President had called her and asked her directly.
“As far as the protocol goes the Presidents does not call anyone personally as she has her secretaries and assistants to do that. I know Dr Mitra has been a gold medalist, has a good reputation, she has an autograph of the President, about which I have no doubts. But she should at least have an identity card to buttress her claims”, he stated.
Kamath stated that though he was aware of the false claims of Dr Mitra he wanted to be doubly sure before going public with authentic information. “Any wrong information would be detrimental and would cause unnecessary pain and disgrace to the person concerned and to us. I wanted to be sure about the information I had,” Kamath declared. Kamath says the revelation is based on the response to RTI query sought by Dr Shivasharan Shetty.
Dr Shivasharan Shetty, runs a Nursing College and owns Namma TV, who incidentally happens to be the former student of Dr Mitra Hegde, pointed out that he had the reply to RTI letter in October 2011 which clearly stated that Dr Mitra was never appointed as dentist to the President of India. “I had received the reply to my question six months back and I had given it to channels like TV 9 and Janashree. I had circulated it among the dental fraternity also. But none of them took it seriously”, he stated. He said he began to doubt the claims of Dr Mitra soon after it was highlighted by the media that she is appointed as her dentist.
“I knew there is nothing called a separate panel of dentists. Presidents usually have their personal dentists whom they will not change on becoming Presidents. So there was a nagging question among many of us about these claims and their genuineness. That is when some friends suggested We seek clarification under RTI and I got an answer which cleared the doubts I had”, asserts Dr Shivasharan. Dr Shivasharn also claimed that Dr Mitra had called him and requested him not to participate in the press conference called by Hanumanth Kamath today.
When asked why he could not use his own channel “namma tv” to disclose this sensational news Dr Shivasharan said, I had some differences with Mitra’s husband Dr Nidarsh Hegde and if I had exposed it through my channel it would have taken a different undertone. People would have attributed it the personal animosity rather than viewing the case on its own merit”, he explained.
When told that Dr Mitra has record of telephone she has received in August 2010 and the RTI question was asked in October 2011, Dr Sriharshan says he has specifically asked a question as to whether Dr Mitra was appointed in 2010-11, and since the RTI answer is in the negative, there is nothing to clarify.
What could be the reasons that might have promoted Dr Mitra Hegde to stoop down to this level, as proved by the RTI query and if the authenticity of the same is proved, Kamath says people want quick and cheap fame and this is the best way to do it. “Even in her prescription letter and visiting card Dr Mitra has printed “personal dentist to her Excellency, the President of the Republic of India. That gives her publicity and good customers”, Kamath remarked. (The couple runs “Dental Clinical Special Clinic and Dental Cosmetic Centre situated in Kankanady bypass road).
My patients are my best advertisers - Dr Mitra Hegde
Dr Mitra Hegde claims that for the past 21 years she has been a practicing dentist and she does not need any publicity. “I am sure my patients will vouch for me and my patients are my best advertisers. I have always been an achiever and this has irked many people”, she remarked.
Dr Mitra says that it was due to the recommendations of some of her patients who had access to the President that she was able to get this honour of being President’s personal dentist. Following the recommendations she says she received a call from the President’s office asking her whether she would like to be the President’s personal dentist and that is how she was given this spcial honour. Dr Mitra also says she is not aware why her colleague Dr Muruli Mohan has given such a statement supporting this claim of Dr Shivasharan.
One has to just wait and watch what documents Dr Mitra will be able to put forth in her defense considering that Kamath and Dr Shivasharan are armed with the response to their RTI query. There seems to be more than that meets the eye as far as A B Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences is concerned. One of the doctors on condition of anonymity stated that there is enough and more political undercurrents in the dental department. The situation there is like “ready to explode” any moment. There are others who claim that the brain behind the entire drama is Dr Nidarsh Hegde, husband of Dr Mithra Hegde.
We can only say wait and watch what is going to unfold next.