Sanjay Raut takes U-turn on controversial remarks, says 'I have always respected doctors'

The doctors in Maharashtra have slammed Shiv Sena and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut for his comments on the medical profession and the World Health Organisation.

"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 had told a Marathi channel, according to a statement by Indian Medical Association -- Maharashtra. 

The Maharashtra branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded an apology from the political leader. 

IMA-Maharashtra president Dr Avinash Bhondwe and honorary state secretary Dr Pankaj Bandarkar, in a statement, said that 3 lakh doctors in the state, are working incessantly during the Covid-19 pandemic. "The doctors all over the state have been working day and night, to save the lives of the citizens of Maharashtra as a duty towards humanity and with the utmost social commitment. About 50 doctors have lost their lives fighting Covid-19," they said. 

Taking a U-turn on his controversial remarks on doctors Raut said,"I spoke about WHO, it doesn't mean that I am insulting our doctors here, I have always respected doctors. I was talking regarding WHO, it's not only me who has raised fingers on WHO but Trump, Russia and many other countries have pointed fingers at WHO in tackling the covid situation. Raut gave the explanation while speaking to a private news channel.