RJD MP Pappu Yadav on Wednesday clarified that his statement calling doctors “executioners” and “flesh-eating devils” was not for the entire fraternity but only those who charge poor patients exorbitantly.

Pappu admitted he has problems with doctors with respect to their fee structure and their behaviour. But, at the same time, he acknowledged, he had great respect for doctors who abide by the Hippocratic oath (an oath historically taken by physicians where they swear, upon a number of healing gods, to uphold specific ethical standards.)

But Bihar State Health Association (BSHA) general secretary Ajay Kumar had a different take on the episode. He said on Wednesday: “Yadav, during a telephonic conservation with me and later on a local television channel, retracted that he even called doctors flesh eating devils.”

He said the RJD MP had agreed to hold talks with doctors on the issue.

Talking on the phone on Wednesday, the RJD MP said: “I have not retracted my statement. But, yes, I spoke against those doctors who charge exorbitant fees or prescribe unnecessary tests. These doctors are giving a bad name to the profession. Unfortunately, the number of such doctors has surged lately. Doctors are the most respected persons, but, certainly not God.”

Pappu had recently launched a drive against doctors, accusing them of charging “exorbitant” fees. He also asked the state government to ban private practice by doctors doing government service and strict action against those who violate it.

The Indian Medical Association’s Bihar Chapter had condemned the Madhepura MP’s statement and called his action “extra constitutional.” They asked why Pappu was behaving like an extra-constitutional authority when a regulatory body for doctors exists.

Doctors in Bihar have even threatened to launch an agitation and sought the intervention of the Union government and the state government.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and BSHA doctors even wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, accusing Pappu of entering doctors’ clinics and abusing and threatening them.

The letter claimed Pappu was compelling doctors to follow the provisions of the Clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.

Pappu is scheduled to meet doctors at the IMA office on Friday.

On the scheduled meeting, the RJD MP said: “I am hopeful that some solution will emerge. The IMA itself is bringing laws to check such malaise.” He said the priority for him is the common man “who I treat as God. Party or politics come later for me”.