Doctor Assault | 'I Won't Apologise': Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre Defends Doctor Assault

The video is clear. Shiv Sena corporator from Kalyan-Dombivli, Ramesh Mhatre, is seen hitting a woman doctor. He and his supporters are then seen beating up other staff and nurses at a hospital near Mumbai. Later visuals show terrified hospital staff in tears. The video triggered massive outrage. The incident took place on June 6. But the corporator is defiant. He has no regrets. In a 26-minute interview with NDTV's Shiv Aroor on Wednesday morning, Mhatre refused to apologise. Instead, he denied what was clearly visible in the video. "I did not attack the woman doctor at the hospital," the corporator insisted, even as the video showed otherwise. When confronted with the footage, he claimed he only hit the doctor's hand to get her off the phone as "she was not listening to our complaint." "I slapped her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone," Mhatre said, adding that Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray taught them to fight injustice. Throughout the interview, Mhatre kept justifying his actions and insisted the doctors were at fault. Showing no remorse, he even claimed his actions "saved the life of a woman and her child.