MH-BEARD-SP LEADER

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Rais

Sheikh has claimed doctors at civic-run hospitals here ask

Muslim patients to shave off beard before they perform surgery

on them and sought a ban on this practice.

Sheikh, the SP's group leader in the Brihanmumbai

Municipal Corporation (BMC), has written a letter to civic

commissioner Ajoy Mehta, drawing his attention to the practice

which he termed as unacceptable.

In the letter, he has claimed doctors at BMC-run

hospitals ask Muslim patients to shave off beard before

performing even minor operations.

Speaking to PTI, the SP corporator said, "Keeping a

beard is long-cherished part of our faith and I have received

several complaints from our Muslim brother patients who say

doctors advice them to shave off beard before performing even

a minor surgery."

"This is unacceptable and I have apprised BMC

commissioner Ajoy Mehta about it and have written a letter to

him," Sheikh said.

"I have demanded that Mehta instruct doctors to ask

patients to shave off beard only when it is extremely

necessary," he said.

Sheikh also said the BMC's heath department has taken

cognisance of his complaint over the issue and framed a policy

to prevent doctors from resorting to the practice.

However, this could not be immediately corroborated

with civic officials.

Sheikh was among the corporators who had in the past

raised objection to making 'Surya Namaskar' (Sun salutation)

compulsory in BMC schools.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)