RATLAM: A controversy has erupted after a woman doctor, hired on contract by the Madhya Pradesh government, was captured in a video purportedly asking people to offer prayers to the god of a particular religion for staying away from coronavirus infection or for recovery from the disease.
The incident occurred in Bajna village of Ratlam district on Saturday.
Talking to PTI on Sunday, tehsildar B S Thakur said the administration has received a complaint that the woman, a government contract doctor, was propagating Christianity during the 'Kill Corona' campaign (to curb the pandemic) in Bajna.
Religious pamphlets were also found with the woman, he said.
Thakur said that a report is being prepared, which will be submitted to senior officers.
In the video, the woman doctor, who is wearing a mask, is seen talking to a man who was shooting the incident on his mobile camera.
The man is heard saying, "Why are you telling people that they will recover by praying Jesus? Why are you not saying that people should pray according to their own religion?" In response, the woman is heard saying that people are getting cured by offering prayers to Jesus."
Some BJP leaders, including Bhopal Huzur seat MLA Rameshwar Sharma, shared the video on Twitter.
"This is not the time to propagate any religion. Doctors and medical professionals are engaged in selfless service of humanity. In such a situation, the woman doctor is propagating a religion. This is condemnable," Sharma told PTI.
When asked about the episode, Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Prabhakar Nanaware said that a report is being sent to the district collector about this incident.
In the report, the termination of services of this contract doctor is being recommended, he said.
Bajna police station in-charge Dilip Rajoriya said the case will be registered after investigation.
So far, no case has been registered, he said.