Siliguri doctor demands pranam to Indian flag from Bangladeshi patients amid flag desecration protests

In response to the recent allegations of India’s national flag being desecrated in Bangladesh, protests have intensified in West Bengal. A doctor in Siliguri, Dr. Shekhar Bandopadhyay, has taken action by displaying India’s national flag outside his private practice. Along with the flag, a message has been posted that requires patients, particularly those from Bangladesh, to offer "pranam" (bow) to the flag before being allowed to enter his chamber for treatment.

The message, written in Bengali, reads: “India’s national flag is sacred to us. Please bow before it before entering the chamber. Especially Bangladeshi patients, if they do not offer pranam, they will not be treated here.” The display is a direct response to the reported desecration of the Indian flag in Bangladesh, which has caused widespread anger among the public in India, particularly in the state of West Bengal, where the protests have been concentrated.

Dr. Bandopadhyay, an ENT specialist who also serves as a Special Medical Officer at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, explained that he has placed the flag as a form of protest and to assert respect for India’s national symbols. While he emphasized that he does not want to deny treatment to any patient, he clarified that anyone visiting his chamber must show respect for India’s national flag.

This move is part of a broader wave of protests in Bengal, where several other doctors have followed suit by refusing to treat Bangladeshi patients. Dr. Chandranath Adhikary, a general surgeon and pediatrician from Birbhum, also announced that he will not treat patients from Bangladesh in his private chambers, although he continues to provide services at a government hospital. A hospital in Kolkata has also issued a statement banning Bangladeshi patients as a mark of protest against the flag desecration.

The incident of flag desecration, along with growing political tensions between India and Bangladesh, has led to protests in Bengal, with many condemning the disrespect shown towards India’s national symbols. The controversy also follows the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Dhaka, who was detained on charges of treason after organizing protests in Bangladesh against alleged atrocities on minorities. This situation has added fuel to the protests in Bengal.