TN police register cases against BJP functionary over row with hijab-wearing govt doctor

The video of Bhuvaneswar Ram, a BJP member, arguing with the doctor while on duty at a Primary health centre in Nagapattinam is doing the rounds on social media. 

NAGAPATTINAM: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member from Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam has been booked by the Keelaiyur police for harassing a woman doctor for wearing a hijab. The video of him arguing with the doctor while on duty at a primary health centre in Nagapattinam is doing the rounds on social media. 

Police registered three cases against party functionary Bhuvaneswar Ram, who hails from Thirupoondi in the district. He questioned the woman doctor for wearing a hijab during duty hours but not donning the white coat and he was heard questioning her credentials in a video of the incident that went viral.

The incident took place inside the Thirupoondi primary health centre in the southern district on May 24 night.

“I doubt if you are really a doctor. Why are you not in uniform, why are you wearing a hijab?” he could be heard asking the doctor in the video.

The nursing staff at the PHC, who came to the rescue of the duty doctor, also put out a video of Ram picking up a fight with the doctor.

The BJP worker had taken one Subramanian who complained of discomfort to the PHC for treatment but when he saw the night duty doctor clad in hijab, he started quarrelling with her, police said.

A senior police official told PTI that three cases under Indian Penal Code Sections 294 (b) (uttering obscene words in a public place), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty and 298 (uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings) were registered against Ram and a search is underway to trace and arrest him.