Letter condemning abusive and communal hate speech by Dr. Aarti Lalchandani which violates principles of medical ethics and discriminates against Muslims
06.06.2020
On 31st May 2020, Dr. Aarti Lalchandani the Medical officer of the Govt Hospital (Medical College Kanpur, UP) was caught on camera making derogatory, hateful statements that were intended to vilify and dehumanise the Muslim community by falsely attributing the Covid19 pandemic to them. The doctor was candidly caught saying “We are exhausting our resources on Jaamatis. Paying their hotel bills that run in lakhs. If it was not for them then there would be no cases. We are using 100 kits on them a day. If they weren’t there we wouldn’t need the kits at all.” On being asked “what should be done with the Jamaatis”, she responds stating “Please don’t leak this – They should be put in jails. The medicines are being wasted on them. More than the medicines the kits are being wasted on them. With the use of sticks they should be put in solitary confinement instead we are putting them in quarantine. There should be an order passed stating no resources should be wasted on the Jaamatis. They should be put in jungles in dungeons. They are terrorists. They are the reason for the spread. They will be the reason for the financial emergency.”[1]
At a time when the world is battling the spread of coronavirus which has been recognized as a pandemic by the WHO, viewing patients from the lens of religion by a doctor to determine who should be given treatment is criminal. The coronavirus has taken lives of 6075 persons in India[2] and such statements are fueling another communal virus pandemic. This pandemic calls for a responsive health system that will rise to the occasion to control the spread of the infection and to ensure that people receive adequate, comprehensive and ethical healthcare. This includes treatment, diagnosis, preventive efforts and counselling that is inclusive and non-discriminatory. In light of the critical times, healthcare workers have a heightened responsibility towards the patients and society at large. In such difficult circumstances the comments of Dr Aarti Lalchandani’s are unacceptable and irresponsible violating medical ethics and humanitarian principles.[3]
By making statements such as throwing the Jamaatis in the dungeons, solitary confinement, use of stick to put them in jail, the doctor is advocating for torture, inflicting of both mental and physical trauma which is in violation of Human Rights.[4] Furthermore, such action by a doctor in a government hospital that is required to provide care and treatment to all citizens, is criminal in nature specifically when the Government has issued statements of ensuring no stigma against the victims of corona. Calling the Jamaatis as terrorists is baseless, propagating enmity on religious grounds and in violation of Section 153A. Additionally, the doctor is in clear violation of Sec 188 of the Indian Penal Code as the doctor has ignored the directions of public officials to not stigmatise victims of the virus. Being in a position of power as the principal of a Government hospital, this discriminatory mindset can trickle down to the rest of the staff and also lead to overt and covert exclusion of Muslim patients who have as much of a right to healthcare as other citizens. We have observed this with other medical conditions like HIV, tuberculosis, leprosy etc., that targeting and stigmatizing communities leads to lesser reporting and prevents good public health interventions to control the spread of disease.
We vehemently condemn the statements made by her. They are unprofessional, uncouth, derogatory, divisive and in violation of the tenets of equality propounded in our Constitution. We demand that she be dismissed from services as she is a danger to the patients. Further, we demand the Medical Council of India to take cognizance of this matter and initiate disciplinary proceedings against her. There is also an urgent need for the Medical council, the Nursing council and all other allied professional bodies putting out strong statements against any form of discrimination, stigmatisation, negligence, denial of care based on the religion, caste, gender, occupation or geographical location of patients. We also demand that the medical fraternity condemn this action in order to restore the faith of the common man in the doctors.
Endorsements
1 | Zoya | Engineering manager |
2 | Zainab Sulaiman | |
3 | Zahida Tahseen | Designer |
4 | Zafar Abbas | Service |
5 | Yeukai | CAR |
6 | Yaser | Consultant |
7 | Vivek | IISER Mohali |
8 | Vishakha | Student |
9 | Vinay Sreenivass | Advocate |
10 | Vidya Dinker | Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development |
11 | Veena Shatrugna | Independent Researcher |
12 | Vasundhara Rangaswamy | Microbiologist |
13 | Vandana Prasad | Independent Researcher |
14 | Umm Aatif | Home-maker |
15 | Ujwal Kp | Individual |
16 | Thaiseer | The Human Collective |
17 | Tarique | IT professional |
18 | Tanzeem Iqbal | Job |
19 | Tanvi Avasthi, RN | Campaign Against Racism/Nurse |
20 | Tanveer | Doctor |
21 | Tahir | Associated with welfare party |
22 | T Jayashree | Filmmaker |
23 | Syed Tousif Masood | Naavu Bharatiyaru |
24 | Syed Ishaq Ul Haq | Civil Engineer |
25 | Syed Ibrahim | Pouring the poison in nation |
26 | SYED ABDUL SATTAR | Professional |
27 | Syed | Doctor |
28 | Swathi | Researcher |
29 | Swaliha Asiya | Content Strategist |
30 | Surbhi Shrivastava | Researcher |
31 | Sunita Bandewar | Pune |
32 | Sunil | Director |
33 | Sumithra | Researcher |
34 | Sumita Kumar | Analyst |
35 | Sulakshana Nandi | |
36 | Suhel Khan | Techpreneur |
37 | Sudha N | Independent |
38 | Srishti | Digital marketing |
39 | Soundarya Iyer | Researcher |
40 | Sneha Rajaram | Writer |
41 | Shibu Varkey | Ophthalmic Surgeon |
42 | Shehnaz khan | Teacher |
43 | Shazin Siddiqui | The Human Collective |
44 | Shashidhar VB | Lawyer |
45 | Shams | Consultant |
46 | SHAHZEB KHAN | Service |
47 | Shahid Husain | WFM |
48 | Shabana Sultan | Homemaker |
49 | Senthil | Teacher |
50 | SEKAR PANDIAN | Business |
51 | Sayyed Mohammed Arshad | Software Engineer |
52 | Savitha | Faculty |
53 | Sameer | The Human Collective |
54 | Samar Nadeem Khan | Health Activist |
55 | Saleha Tahseen | Trainer |
56 | Sajid | Engineer |
57 | Sabina Basha | Retired |
58 | Rumana | None |
59 | Rosamma Thomas | Journalist |
60 | RENU KHANNA | JSA |
61 | Reena Johnson | Teaching |
62 | Ravi G | Disability Rights Activist |
63 | Ravi Duggal | Researcher |
64 | Ratul Biswas | Service personnel |
65 | Rasheed Usmani | Entrepreneur |
66 | Ramneek Singh | Playwright |
67 | Rahamat | Consultant |
68 | radha holla | Independent researcher |
69 | R Srivatsan | Researcher |
70 | Pushpa S | Swaraj Abhiyan Activist |
71 | Priti Turakhia | Self |
72 | Praveen Kolluguri | india |
73 | Pratik Mishra | PhD student |
74 | Prasanna Saligram | Public Health Researcher |
75 | Pramod PC | Engineer |
76 | Persis Ginwalla | Individual |
77 | Omar Farook | The Human Collective |
78 | Noor | United religions initiative |
79 | Nizamuddin | Fraternity Movement Karnataka |
80 | Nithin | Student |
81 | Nikita Islam | Doctor |
82 | Nazima | Homemaker |
83 | Nazim Khan | IT Professional |
84 | Navaid Alam | The Human Collective |
85 | Nasir NG | The Human Collective |
86 | Nasar | Self employed |
87 | Nagaragere Ramesh | People’s Democratic Forum |
88 | N. Jayaram | Journalist |
89 | N Hanifi | Working |
90 | Munowar warsi | Marketing techno commercial rental machines & I.P. |
91 | Mujahid Sheik | Engineer |
92 | Muiz Ahmed | Lifeline foundation trust |
93 | Mueen Abrar | TMC |
94 | Mubashira | Employee |
95 | Mohid | Retired |
96 | Mohd Sarfraj | Engineer |
97 | Mohan Rao | Independent Researcher |
98 | Mohammad Iqbal | Service |
99 | Mohammad Farhan Shaikh | Student |
100 | MOHAMMAD AKRAM | Service |
101 | MOHAMED KHIZER | – |
102 | Mir Taqeeulla | The Human Collective |
103 | Mir | Software Engineer |
104 | Meraj Khan | Media Sales Manager |
105 | Mehdi Kalim | Human Rights Activist |
106 | Mayuree | Social worker |
107 | Maria | Independent |
108 | Manzar Husain | Salaried |
109 | Manu Chowdhuri | CIEDS COLLECTIVE |
110 | Mahdi Ali | Employee |
111 | Madhuri Krishnaswamy | Independent Researcher |
112 | M. Kumar | Independent Writer |
113 | M. A. Siraj | Journalist |
114 | M Shakeel Badal | The Human Collective |
115 | M Salim Ansari | self employed |
116 | Linda Sharp MD | Doctor |
117 | Laxmi N | Scientific Writer |
118 | Latifa | Movement for justice |
119 | Latha | Sanman society |
120 | Kshiraja | – |
121 | Khalid Qureshi | Engineer |
122 | Khalid | Indian Patriot |
123 | Khaleelullah R | Business |
124 | Khaiser Faiza | Social activist |
125 | Karan Singh Chouhan | Assistant Professor |
126 | Kaniz Fatima Muneeza | Public Health Expert |
127 | Kamayani Bali Mahabal | Human Rights Activist |
128 | Kabir | Accountant |
129 | Jyotsna Sharma | Self employed |
130 | Junaid | None |
131 | Jerald D Souza | Social activist |
132 | Javeed Pasha | Fruit merchant |
133 | Jameel Ahmed Khan | Doctor |
134 | Jameel Ahmed | Self employed |
135 | Jagrat Biswal | Software Engineer |
136 | Jagdish Patel | OHS |
137 | Istiaque Hussain | Public servant |
138 | Ismail khan | Student |
139 | Isheath Nisar | Social acitivist |
140 | Inamur Rehaman | Engineer |
141 | Imran khan | Self business |
142 | Ihjaz Mohamed | The Human Collective |
143 | Huzefa I Suratwala | Doctor |
144 | Huzafah Sadaf SM | None |
145 | Humera jabeen | Doctor |
146 | Hema | Professor |
147 | Harun Rasheed | Entrepreneur |
148 | Haron | Doctor |
149 | Hamza Mohd. Zubair | The Human Collective |
150 | Gunjan | NA |
151 | GOUSE SADAK | Employee |
152 | Gitanjali gupta | Housewife |
153 | Firdose | Home maker |
154 | Fayaz | No |
155 | Fathima Naha | Student |
156 | Farah Afraz | Doctor |
157 | Dr.Mohan Rao | Independent researcher in Bangalore |
158 | Dr.Antony.K.R | Public Health Consultant Kochi |
159 | Dr. Sylvia Karpagam | Public health doctor and researcher |
160 | Dr. M. Farooque | Orthopaedics Surgeon |
161 | Dr. Khudsia | Medical profession/ |
162 | Dr. Charm Shakeel | Doctor |
163 | Dr Sushrut Jadhav | University College London |
164 | Dr Sharfaroz Satani | Doctor |
165 | Dr Rehan | Private Practitioner |
166 | Dr Gopal Dabade | Health Activist |
167 | Dr Danish Ahmed | Doctor |
168 | Dr Anoob Razak | Public Health Practitioner |
169 | Dr Afzal | Doctor |
170 | Dhruv Mankad | Researcher |
171 | Deepak Kumar | Public Health Professional |
172 | Deepak Joshi | Self employed |
173 | David Goldberg | Retired doctor |
174 | D. Albert, S.J. | Social activist |
175 | Christina | Working |
176 | Chinu Srinivasan | Independent Researcher |
177 | Chandni Ganesh | Student/Writer |
178 | chaand ohri | Doctor |
179 | Brinda Adige | Development Consultant & Activist |
180 | Basawa Kunale | Lawyer |
181 | B.Nasreen Taj | The Human Collective |
182 | Azhar Alam Advocate | Advocate |
183 | Ayesha latif | Home maker |
184 | Avani Chokshi | CPI (ML) Liberation |
185 | Aushik | IT |
186 | Athiya | Home maker |
187 | Asma khan | Teacher |
188 | Aslam | The Human Collective |
189 | Ashy | Student |
190 | Arun | Banker |
191 | Arul Anthony | Administration |
192 | Arshad | Engineer |
193 | Arati Chokshi | Citizen |
194 | Anurag | – |
195 | Antruse | Engineer |
196 | Anilkumar | Student (AUD) |
197 | Anas | Engineer |
198 | Amogh | Student |
199 | Amjad patel | Service |
200 | Amita Pitre | Gender and Health Professional |
201 | Ambar | Dentist |
202 | Amar Jesani | Independent Researcher |
203 | amar chourasiya | it professional |
204 | Alwyn | Researcher and Activist |
205 | Al Furqan trust | Trust |
206 | Akash Bhattacharya | Teacher, Azim Premji University. |
207 | Ajab Motorwala | none |
208 | Ahmed Saleemuddin | Engineer |
209 | Ahmed | Consultant |
210 | Ahamed | Software engineer |
211 | Abu khan | Student |
212 | Abrar Rashid | Student |
213 | Abeer zaini | Student |
214 | Abdullah | IT Engineer |
215 | Abdul Wasay | Software professional |
216 | Abdul haseeb | Engineer |
217 | Abbar Khalid | Student |
218 | Aarti Bhatt | MD |
219 | Aarif Malik | Communications Professional |
220 | Aaliya Shafi | Teacher |
221 | A Ahmed | The Human Collective |
[1] Video can be found at https://youtu.be/zvDvF-Ck7sE, reported by NDTV at https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-on-camera-up-doctors-hate-rant-against-islamic-sect-members-2238882, reported by The Hindu at https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/kanpur-medical-college-principal-allegedly-says-jamaat-members-are-terrorists-should-be-placed-in-solitary-confinement/article31719553.ece, fact checked by Alt News at https://www.altnews.in/verification-speech-targeting-muslim-community-by-kanpur-medical-college-principal/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=newpost
[2] The number is underreported.
[3] B. Duty and Responsibility of physician in general, 1.1.2 of the Code of Medical Ethics Regulation 2002
[4] 6.6 Human Rights, Code of Medical Ethics Regulation, 2002
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