In a shocking display of religious discrimination, a pregnant Muslim woman was allegedly denied medical treatment by her long-time gynaecologist, Dr.C.K. Sarkar, at Kasturi Das Memorial Super Speciality Hospital in Kolkata. The denial came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, with the doctor reportedly making communal and inflammatory remarks, reportsBengal Times.
The woman, who had been under Dr. Sarkar’s care for the last seven months, was turned away with shocking comments, according to her relative, Advocate Mehfuza Khatun. Quoting the doctor, Khatun stated, “After the Kashmir incident, I’m not going to see any Muslim patients,” followed by even more hateful words like, “Hindus should kill your husband, then you’ll understand how they felt. We should ban all Muslims.”
This incident has sparked outrage across the country, especially within the Muslim community. Denying treatment to a pregnant woman in her final trimester not only defies the ethics of medical practice but also endangers the life of both mother and child. “She has been crying ever since. She’s terrified – not just for her own safety but for her unborn child,” said Khatun in a FB post.
The attack in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed, has triggered a wave of Islamophobic reactions. However, using such incidents to justify collective punishment and discrimination against innocent Muslims is unjust and dangerous.