Mumbai: ‘No. of calls is insane’

A top gynaecological cancer specialist Dr Samar Gupte has found himself as the subject of a message making false claims This has gone viral on WhatsApp groups The message readslsquoDear all In case you know of poor women with gynaec cancershellip and in need of surgery do let me know I have a CSR Corporate Social Responsibility fund that needs utilisation before March 31rsquo The message mentions Dr Gupte as the senior onco gynac with a Khar hospital and also lists his mobile number The last three lines of the message read lsquoThis can be of very good help to someone in needhellip kindly forward this msg in all your groupsrsquo It ends with a hands joined in prayer emojiNo credibilityThis message is false and Dr Gupte said he has no CSR funds at all The doctor clarified ldquoThere is a message floating around on WhatsApp that I have access to CSR funds for cancer patients andor cancer surgeries This is an incorrect message I do not have any such funds available with meThe fact is that like most doctors I too do charitable work at different hospitals However I myself do not have any such funds with merdquo Dr Gupte ended this with a request not to forward such messagesCalls unlimitedAccording to Dr Gupte with the message and his telephone number becoming viral he has been inundated with calls and messages ldquoThe number of calls has outstripped messages Just a couple of days ago the number of calls was completely insane I was at the end of my tether picking up 200 calls in a couple of days I have also answered WhatsApp messages to the best of my ability explaining to senders that the message is bogus I urge those messaging me to post counter messages that this is a false message in their WhatsApp groupsrdquoMelting bordersThe doctor added that the false message is not just sent out in English but also Hindi and Marathi ldquoI have received most calls from individuals and also from a significant number of trusts and nongovernmental organisations NGOs toordquo he said With communication melting borders the calls have not been restricted to Mumbai or India Dr Guptersquos handset has been ringing furiously with calls from Tripura Jammu amp Kashmir Saudi Arabia the US and even Tunisia ldquoMost persons are polite and apologise when I clarify that this is a false claim going around on WhatsApp There have been times though when I have faced ire The caller simply does not understand when I say that I have no such funds and this is an unverified message sent by an unknown person They have even asked me angrily lsquothen why did you say you have funds when you do not refusing to believe that I have not posted the message in the first placerdquoGaining tractionThe doc said the message started doing the rounds early this month gaining traction on World Cancer Day which fell on February 4 There was also the Poonam Panday fake death from cervical cancer stunt that coincided with this message and probably gave it WhatsApp wings In the end Dr Gupte said ldquoI do understand that most callers had good intentions only inquiring to help their loved ones Maybe the person who started this had good intent I do not know It is vital though that we always doublecheck and do some background research knowing the power and speed of social media before forwarding especially a message like thisrdquoThe senior medical professional stressed that he has ldquono CSR funds as stated in this communicationrdquo As the doc signed off we saw his tagline alongside his mobile number which said lsquoclear as water cool as icersquo If his words are as lsquoclear as waterrsquo the harried doc will be we think as lsquocool as icersquo200No of calls answered