A routine shift at the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) wing of Saadat Hospital in Tonk turned contentious when a Unani medical intern, identified as Umama, refused to uncover her face while wearing a hijab during duty, leading to a heated exchange with gynaecologist Dr. Bindu Gupta. The incident, captured in a video that rapidly spread across social media on Sunday, has drawn sharp divisions along political lines, with the BJP labeling it an attempt to stir communal unrest and Congress demanding accountability from the doctor.
The clash occurred in the labor room on Saturday, marking the second time in days that the issue arose—Umama had previously complained about similar directives three days earlier, despite completing a month of her internship without prior disputes. In the viral footage, Dr. Gupta is seen insisting on visibility for patient safety, stating, "The face of the person giving the injection should be visible to the patient; this will not be allowed here." She emphasized that hospital protocols require staff identification to avoid mishaps, adding, "If you have a problem showing your face, you shouldn’t work," and clarified that the request was not to remove the entire hijab but to lift any face-covering veil during clinical tasks.
Umama, however, defended her stance, replying, "I will show my face while coming for duty. I have my ID card, what else is needed?" She invoked her religious rights, asserting that wearing the hijab was integral to her faith and refused to comply, recording the argument to highlight what she perceived as harassment.
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Hospital officials, including in-charge Dr. Vinod Parveria and Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Hanuman Prasad Bairwa, confirmed no formal complaints were filed by either party initially. However, Congress leaders, including former Youth Congress president Ausaf Khan, Mohammad Ahsan, and Farid Khan, visited the facility and submitted a grievance, calling for departmental action against Dr. Gupta for alleged bias. Parveria noted that Gupta had been counseled earlier, but the matter resurfaced, prompting a formal probe. A report has been forwarded to higher authorities, with a meeting scheduled for Monday to discuss with Umama.
On the other side, local BJP representatives presented a memorandum to Tonk District Collector Kalpana Agrawal, urging strict measures against those "spreading communal discord" and accusing Umama of misrepresenting the facts to incite tension. They claimed the video was selectively edited to portray a routine dress code enforcement as religious discrimination.
Tonk police, led by CI Bhawarlal Vaishnav, are examining the video through their cyber cell and have warned of legal action against any inflammatory online remarks. This episode echoes broader debates on religious attire in professional settings in India, such as past school hijab bans in Karnataka, where courts upheld restrictions citing uniform policies, though hospital contexts prioritize hygiene and accountability over symbolism.
As the investigation unfolds, the hospital maintains that standard practices apply equally, with no one required to discard head coverings entirely—only ensuring faces remain visible during patient interactions.
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