“Withdrawn Now”: Himanta Sarma On Assam Hospital’s ‘Regressive’ Advisory

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has ordered the principal of a medical college to withdraw a an advisory to students seen as bizarre and regressive, amid the huge public outrage over the rape-murder of a trainee doctor in a Kolkata hospital.

 The Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) said in the advisory that women doctors and students should “avoid situations where they are alone”.

“That advisory was not warranted. Yesterday, I spoke to the principal. They have withdrawn it,” Mr Sarma told NDTV today.

SMCH principal Dr Bhaskar Gupta had issued the advisory following the rape-murder of the trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

“The advisory issued earlier stands cancelled and a new advisory will be issued soon in this regard,” Mr Gupta said.

The advisory had also asked women doctors, students, and staff to avoid ”isolated, poorly lit and sparsely populated areas”. The advisory said while on duty, “you should be well composed emotionally, remain alert about the surroundings and should graciously interact with the public so that you don’t attract unnecessary attention from unscrupulous people.”

SMCH students protested against the advisory and demanded that security on the campus be improved. Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) president Salman Choudhury said they were “deeply saddened and ashamed” by the regressive advisory that does nothing to help the campus secure.

“The advisory fails to address key issues pertaining to SMCH and is outrageous,” he said, adding the authorities should ensure proper lighting in the hospital area, dedicated washroom facilities, security in doctors’ rooms, and install CCTV cameras.

The body of the post-graduate trainee doctor with severe injury marks was found on Friday last inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital’s chest department. The preliminary autopsy report suggested she was subjected to violent sexual assault, evoking huge protests from medical and non-medical fraternities in that state and outside.

A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the case.