KOLKATA: The Kashmiri cadiologist, who was contemplating to quit the city after children in the neighbourhood stopped mingling with his kids, has now put his foot down and decided to stay on following support from different quarters, including his own fraternity.“Kolkata is as much my home as anyone else’s. I don’t need to prove my loyalty to anyone. This is my country and will always come first to me because I believe India was founded on secular ideas, not bigotry and hatred,” the 42-year-old, who was threatened and abused by miscreants twice, said with new-found confidence on Wednesday.Acknowledging the support from various quarters, including the adinistration and the police, the Kashmiri doctor on Wednesday said: “We will stay here. I have been living here for half my life. Hence, Bengal is as much a home to me as Kashmir. The people here are humane. I don’t know if I would have received the kind of support elsewhere but it has been simply overwhelming for me and my family,” he said.On the forefront of the effort to make the family feel secure were fellow doctors. Members of a doctors’ association visited his home and assured him of help. Others have condemned the incident and vowed to stand by him. “He is a thorough gentleman with a good heart. This kind of witchhunt after the Pulwama attack was uncalled for. By making such threats, we will alienate even those Kashmiris who are in the mainstream,” said oncologist Sharadwat Mukherjee.“Why should a doctor who had nothing to do with the attack face isolation and humiliation? We are condemning such incidents. We will see to it that the city does not let him down,” said cardiologist Kausik Chaki. “This kind of hooliganism is unfortunate,” added peadiatric intensivist Prabhas Prasun Giri.West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Ananya Chatterjee Chakraborti had considered intervening when she learnt about the kids’ plight. “The doctor was extremely concerned about his children’s trauma. It appears some parents had asked their children not to speak to the two girls. This is so sad. I had decided to step in if the situation did not improve, but thankfully it did,” said Chakraborti.

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