Dentist to president apologises to RTI activists

MANGALORE: Dr Mithra Hegde, the dentist who was said to have treated the President, walked out of a press conference abruptly on Wednesday, after she tendered an apology regarding her statements in the media against the RTI activists.“I did not intend to hurt anybody. I regret it and apologise to Dr Shiva Sharan Shetty and Hanumanth Kamath for my statements against them in television interviews,” she said at a press conference in Patrika Bhavan on Wednesday.Indian Dental Association former secretary Dr Shiva Sharan Shetty and whistle blower and Nagarika Hitharakshana Samiti president Hanumanth Kamath used the RTI as a tool to bring out the controversial issue of Dr Hegde’s appointment as dentist to President Pratibha Patil. The RTI revelation proved the dentist was never appointed to treat her.  “I will disprove all the allegations against me but I need time,” she said. Dr Mithra Hegde said that she had not received show-cause notice from Nitte University, where she is the Head of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics in its affiliated college ABSMIDS. Neither Nitte University nor the college took any action against her. She refused to answer any more questions and walked out of the press meet.Journalist Alleges Attack at Conference Ansar from the evening daily ‘Jayakirana’ alleged that businessman Gourav Hegde, a cousin of the dentist, attacked him at the venue.  “I sought his name as he was sitting next to Dr Hegde and he pushed me,” he said.   Hegde, who apologised to the media on the Barke Police station premises, said he was clueless when reporters surrounded him seeking clarification for the halt of the conference.