Protests entered their third consecutive day at Government Medical College (GMC), Doda, after the head of the gynecology department allegedly barred burqa-clad students and interns from entering the hospital’s labor room.
Students and medical interns boycotted duties and staged demonstrations demanding an official apology from Dr. Madhu Chib, HOD of Gynecology. According to protesting students, Dr. Chib objected to abayas and burqas inside the delivery ward, insisting they wear standard medical aprons to maintain sterile conditions and reduce infection risks for pregnant patients.
However, students alleged religious discrimination, claiming they were singled out and denied entry to departmental rooms. “We demand an apology… Why single out the burqa?” asked one protesting intern, arguing that other hygiene protocols were not enforced with equal strictness.
The hospital administration has launched a formal inquiry, forming a two-member committee instructed to submit a report within two days. Local police and political representatives—including Doda AAP MLA Mehraj Malik—have intervened, urging calm while raising the issue with J&K Health Minister Sakina Itoo.