Tonk (Rajasthan) – A controversy has erupted at MCH Hospital in Tonk after a Muslim intern doctor alleged harassment by a senior colleague over wearing a hijab during duty hours, reported the Bhaskar English.
According to the intern’s complaint, the senior doctor asked her to remove her hijab, insisting that patients must clearly see her face while she administered injections. The intern, however, maintained that the hijab is an essential part of her religious identity and does not obstruct her medical duties.
The incident surfaced on social media, quickly gaining attention and sparking comparisons with the 2022 Karnataka hijab row, which had triggered widespread debate on secularism and religious freedom in India. That case eventually reached the Karnataka High Court, which upheld a ban on hijabs in educational institutions, later overturned by the state government in 2023.
Tonk District Collector Kalpana Agarwal has intervened in the matter, assuring that appropriate action will be taken. She emphasized the need to balance institutional discipline with constitutional guarantees of personal freedom.
Legal experts point out that while the Code of Medical Ethics Regulations, 2002 outlines rules for professional conduct and maintaining patient trust, it does not prohibit religious attire such as the hijab.
The case once again underscores the recurring tension between professional codes of conduct and individual rights to religious expression in India.
