‘This is a hospital, not an Islamic one’: cop urges objectivity as GMC Doda students protest over burqa row

Doda: Scores of students and interns at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district staged a protest on Wednesday, September 30, after a professor allegedly barred a student wearing an abaya from entering the labour room, sparking a wider row over burqas and hospital dress codes.

The incident drew nationwide attention after students alleged that Professor Dr Madhu Chib “openly says she dislikes burqas” and has repeatedly asked burqa-clad interns to leave the labour room and even her office. They demanded an apology from the professor and said the treatment felt targeted, arguing that if hygiene was the concern, rules should apply uniformly to issues such as long nails rather than “singling out” burqas.

Amid the protest, a video of a police officer, identified as Tariq, calmly addressing the crowd went viral. He told the students that raising religious slogans was not the right way to protest, as the venue was a hospital meant for everyone. “Yeh Islamic hospital toh nahi hai, yeh hospital hai (This is not an Islamic hospital, is it),” he said, urging them to look at the issue through an objective lens.

Officer Tariq assured the protesters that the allegations would be thoroughly investigated and handled according to protocol. “Agar hamari zaroorat padi FIR lagani ki, ya FIR jaisi baat bani toh woh hum karenge (If we are needed, say for an FIR, depending on how things work out, we will do it),” he said, adding that no official present was “stealing” their right to protest.

He said if a criminal offence is established against Dr Madhu, required action would be taken. The GMC administration has already constituted a committee to inquire into a written complaint alleging that a doctor asked a student to remove her abaya, and officials have said the matter will be examined before any further steps are taken.