In the wake of the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Assam-based Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) issued an advisory for its women doctors urging them to avoid “unnecessary attention of unscrupulous people”.
After it drew massive flak, a tweet by the Assam Chief Minister’s Office said the advisory, issued on August 12, was cancelled. “A new advisory will be issued in this regard soon, following NMC (National Medical Commission) norms and government directives,” the CMO tweeted.
The advisory, signed by the institute’s principal Dr Bhaskar Gupta, asked female staff against venturing out of the campus late at night or at unusual hours.
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“Female doctors, students and staff should, as far as possible, avoid situations where they are alone. Avoid going out of hostels or lodging rooms at night unless it is absolutely necessary and inform the concerned authority in advance,” the advisory, signed by the institute’s principal Dr Bhaskar Gupta, said.
The advisory also suggested women doctors and students avoid “associating with strangers or persons of suspicious nature”.
“While on duty, you must remain mentally calm, alert and aware of your surroundings, and interact with people respectfully, so that you do not become a victim of any undue attention,” it further said.
Immediately after it was issued, the advisory came under severe criticism from students as well as on social media, with many calling it “misogynistic”. The students said the authorities should improve the security arrangements on the campus instead of telling them to stay in their rooms.
The Junior Doctors’ Association (JDS) of Silchar Medical College and Hospital also condemned the advisory, calling it disturbing.