A government hospital in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district has come under the scanner for allegedly citing the religion of a pregnant Muslim woman as grounds for refusing to admit her at the hospital.
The pregnant woman, after leaving the hospital, delivered the child inside the ambulance but the infant could not survive.
"My pregnant wife had to deliver a child. She was referred from Sikri to the Janana Hospital in the district headquarter but the doctors here mentioned that we should go to Jaipur because we are Muslim. As I was taking her in the ambulance, she delivered the child but the baby died. I hold the administration responsible for my child's death," Irfan Khan, the husband of the woman who was refused admission, alleged.
"A woman had come for delivery but in a critical state. She was referred to Jaipur and whatever laxity happened will be investigated," Dr Rupendra Jha, Principal, Janana Hospital, Bharatpur, said.
Vishvendra Singh, Rajasthan tourism minister, lashed out at the refusal of the doctor, currently posted as the Head of Department in OBS and Gynae department at the Government hospital in Bharatpur for refusing admission to the woman because of her religion.
Singh tweeted a video in which he stated that the woman was referred to the Janana Hospital in Bharatpur where she was refused admission by a doctor named Dr Moneet Walia. He added that the state health minister is also an MLA from Bharatpur.
Vishvendra Singh, in his tweet, wrote, "Pregnant Muslim Woman was refused medical attention at the Zenana Hospital in Bharatpur and was told to go to Jaipur given her religion. Local Bharatpur MLA is state health minister and this is the condition of the hospital in Bharatpur City. Shameful."
The Rajasthan tourism minister said that "there can be nothing more shameful than this". "This is a secular state and the government is extremely sensitive about such matters," he added.
Vishvendra Singh also mentioned that action will be taken against the accused doctor in the matter.
The Rajasthan tourism minister added that just because the Tablighi Jamaat has been linked to a surge of coronavirus cases in the country it does not mean that citizens of the Islamic faith are going to be treated the way the pregnant lady was.
Singh tweeted, "The (Tablighi) Jamaat has most certainly been hazardous to the entire country. However, it does not mean that citizens of the Islamic faith are treated the way a pregnant lady was handled by the doctors in Bharatpur Zenana Hospital. The local MLA is also the Minister of State for Health."
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the incident. Tweeting a testimony from the husband, Owasi wrote, "The staff must be tried & punished as common criminals & should receive exemplary punishment. They are responsible for the death of an innocent woman. Should we now stop seeking healthcare? Anti-Muslim hate reaches new heights every day & is costing us our lives."
The staff must be tried & punished as common criminals & should receive exemplary punishment @ashokgehlot1. They are responsible for death of an innocent woman. Should we now stop seeking healthcare? Anti-Muslim hate reaches new heights everyday & is costing us our lives [1/2] https://t.co/hKh1RB47z7
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 4, 2020
"Has Hindutva radicalisation become so brazen because it is backed by govt support or because it is embraced by a large section of society? Will anything be done to counter it?" he added.
