Valentis Hospital in Meerut Puts Ad Saying It Will Not Treat Muslim Patients, UP Police Launches Probe
In its advertisement, the Valentis Hospital referred to the Tablighi Jamaat event held in Delhi's Nizamuddin locality last month, while announcing a boycott of the Muslim community. The ad states that those Muslims who want to avail treatment at the cancer institute should bring along a certificate which declares them as COVID-19 negative.
Lucknow, April 18: The Valentis Cancer Hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut issued an advertisement in a local daily, stating that it would no longer be accepting Muslim patients from Muslim-dominated localities in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. After the issue was brought to the notice of UP Police, a probe was initiated into the matter. How UP Police is Debunking Fake News on Tablighi Jamaat Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.
The hospital is a dedicated medical facility to treat cancer patients, and its decision to exclude Muslims from treatment would be detrimental to the minorities living in western UP. Further, the exclusion of patients on the basis of religion is violative of the Constitution and may draw penal charges against the hospital authorities.
Taking cognisance of the online complaints against the hospital for announcing a boycott of the Muslim community, the Meerut Police ordered the Inchaui police station, under whose jurisdiction the hospital falls, to initiate an inquiry into the case.
See Valentis Hospital Ad and UP Police Response
In its advertisement, the Valentis Hospital referred to the Tablighi Jamaat event held in Delhi's Nizamuddin locality last month, while announcing a boycott of the Muslim community. The ad states that those Muslims who want to avail treatment at the cancer institute should bring along a certificate which declares them as COVID-19 negative.
The advertisement further added that Muslim professionals, including lawyers, doctors and police officers, living in non-Muslim areas would not be barred from availing the treatment. The ad also calls for greater contribution to the PM-CARES fund from rich Hindu and Jain families.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 18, 2020 07:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).