Assam Hospital's Bizarre Memo After Kolkata Shocker, Then A U-Turn

Days after a 31-year-old doctor was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, a state-run medical college in Assam issued an advisory for women doctors and students, asking them to "avoid situations where they are alone". It also asked them to "graciously interact with the public, so that you don't attract unnecessary attention of unscrupulous people". Amid an uproar on the campus and social media, authorities of Silchar Medical College and Hospital withdrew the bizarre advisory.

The advisory had drawn strong criticism, with many on social media tagging it "misogynistic" and saying that the college administration should focus on ensuring safety of women on campus instead of listing dos and don'ts.

The document noted that the hospital administration finds it necessary to issue the advisory in view of tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.

"Female doctors, students, and staff should generally avoid isolated, poorly lit, and sparsely populated areas. Female doctors, students, and staff should, as much as possible, avoid situations where they are alone," the advisory said.

Female students, it said, must refrain from leaving the hostel or lodging rooms during night hours unless absolutely necessary and must step out only after informing authorities.

"Avoid going off-campus during late or odd hours. All Hostel borders should abide by the hostel norms & regulations laid by the institute and administration. Be cautious and avoid associating with individuals who appear unknown or are suspicious in nature," the advisory said.

It added that women doctors and students must always ensure they have a means of making emergency contact.

"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 of unscrupulous people," the advisory added in another point.

The document said students and women doctors must immediately communicate any grievances to internal committees to address harassment or ragging.

The advisory said it had been issued in the greater interest of doctors, students and staff members of the hospital.

The advisory drew sharp criticism on campus, with the students saying that authorities should improve security arrangements instead of telling them to stay in their rooms.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the advisory was "not warranted" and that he had spoken to the principal of the medical college. "That advisory has been withdrawn," he told NDTV.

The Junior Doctors' Association of the college condemned the advisory and said the language in the document is disturbing. They demanded adequate lighting on campus, security measures in doctors' room and more CCTV cameras.

Salman Chaudhury, president of the junior doctors' association, said they have given the authorities 48 hours to fulfill their demands. "The circular is deeply regressive, misogynistic to some extent and very outrageous for all female doctors working here. The authorities must revoke this circular and fulfill our demands, failing which we would be forced to start a protest," he said.

Social media users too criticised the advisory and said it asks women to "behave" and implicitly holds them responsible for acts of sexual violence.

One user said, "The advisory should be for the men and not women". Another asked, "Can any female doctor feel safe even at their own workplace reading such notices?"