Kolkata: In a troubling incident that highlights escalating communal tensions in India, a Hindu gynecologist in West Bengal has denied medical care to a pregnant Muslim woman, citing the recent Pahalgam attack as his reason.

The gynecologist, Dr. C.K. Sarkar, who practices at Kasturi Das Memorial Super Specialty Hospital, refused to continue treatment for the woman he had been attending to for seven months. According to reports from Kashmir Media Service, Dr. Sarkar made incendiary remarks, suggesting Hindus should retaliate against Muslims following the incident in Pahalgam.

Advocate Mehfuza Khatun, a relative of the patient, reported the doctor’s inflammatory comments, which have caused significant distress to the pregnant woman. Khatun described the situation as a “blatant act of discrimination,” emphasizing the emotional and ethical implications of the doctor’s refusal.

In response to the incident, Khatun has called upon medical authorities and human rights organizations to take swift action against Dr. Sarkar. She underscored that denying essential medical care, especially to someone in a vulnerable condition, is a breach of both medical ethics and fundamental human rights.

The incident has sparked a wave of condemnation online and has been highlighted by prominent activist Mona Ambegaonkar, who has urged for a boycott of Dr. Sarkar. She characterized the doctor’s actions as those of a “dangerous criminal,” reflecting deepening concerns about communal bias impacting healthcare in India.

This case has intensified discussions about the state of communal relations in India, particularly within the healthcare sector, where impartiality and care are foundational principles.