India on Wednesday slammed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its “misguided” reports on the professional medical protocols followed to deal with the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus in India.
In strong words, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava condemned the reports and said the USCIRF “must stop adding religious colour to our national goal of fighting the pandemic and distract from larger efforts”.
“As if its peremptory commentary on religious freedom in India is not enough, the USCIRF is now spreading misguided reports on the professional medical protocols followed to deal with spread of COVID-19 in India,” the MEA spokesperson said in a statement.
He added that “no segregation is being done in civil hospitals on the basis of religion, as clarified by the Gujarat government”.
The USCIRF had expressed concerns over India’s manner of handling Coronavirus cases after a media report emerged stating that a hospital in Ahmedabad has “split its COVID-19 patients on the basis of religion”.
Earlier in a tweet, the Commission said it was concerned over the reports of Hindu and Muslim patients being separated in the hospital.
“Such actions only help to further increase ongoing stigmatization of Muslims in #India and exacerbate false rumors of Muslims spreading #COVID19,” it said. The USCIRF had earlier criticised India on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
In Ahmedabad Civil hospital, which has 1,200 beds for COVID-19 patients, separate wards have been made for Hindus and Muslims, the report said and added the hospital authorities have said that this is as per government’s decision.
The Health Department of the Gujarat government immediately clarified that “no segregation is being done in Civil hospital on the basis of religion.”
It has further termed the reports as “absolutely baseless” and “misleading”.
The state government said Coronavirus positive patients are being treated based on symptoms, severity etc. and according to doctors’ recommendations.
In its clarification, the Gujarat government said that patients are kept in different wards “based on their medical condition, severity of the symptoms and age, purely based on the advice of treating doctors.”