Statement in support of Dr M. Anwar, Al Hind Hospital

DEMANDING REMOVAL OF HIS NAME AND ALL FALSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM FROM THE CHARGESHEET (FIR 39/20)

We, undersigned medical professionals, public health professionals, health networks, women’s groups and concerned individuals strongly condemn the malicious naming of Dr. M. A. Anwar in the charge-sheet of FIR 39/20, Gokulpuri Police Station, dated 28 February 2020.  Dr. Anwar, the proprietor of Al Hind Hospital in New Mustafabad provided medical care to several people who were victims of the targeted violence in north east Delhi in late February 2020, which resulted in the death of more than 53 people, with hundreds of people injured.

Dr. Anwar and Al Hind played a significant humanitarian role in saving the lives of people who were
affected through provision of urgently needed medical services in a situation fraught with violence and fear. Al Hind was one of the few hospitals, which provided treatment for hundreds of
patients who were injured, some with grievous bullet injuries and fractures, some traumatised by the violence, etc. and rendered to each person a full measure of service and devotion to humanity
and human dignity.  

Dr. Anwar has been falsely mentioned in this charge-sheet alleging instigation of the local people against the government on the issue of CAA-NRC (Citizenship Amendment Act-National Register of
Citizens) which led to violence in the area.

We would like to assert that Dr. Anwar as a medical professional, followed the code of medical ethics, and treated every person who was injured in the riots and who approached his hospital with
empathy and diligence. His prompt action to help injured people during the riots was praised by many persons, including the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, and reports on the violence that recorded the role of Al Hind hospital and its owner, Dr. Anwar in helping victims of the  violence, irrespective of their religion or caste or class. Several medical teams working in the area during and in the aftermath of the violence, witnessed Dr. Anwar’s responsible, untiring response  as a medical professional,  providing healthcare in the most challenging circumstances in the midst of  targeted violence against the Muslim community  in that area at tremendous risk to his own life.

Conscientious medical professionals in several parts of the world believe that resistance to oppression and violence go hand in hand with provision of ethical healthcare is irrespective of the
context, caste, religion or the background of the patient. 
Thus, it is shocking that a person, who has saved the lives of many through his prompt and timely actions, has now been falsely referred to in the charge-sheet alleging instigation! 
Apart from a violation of his Constitutional and democratic rights as a citizen of this country, the fallacious references to Dr. Anwar in the charge-sheet is a frontal attack on a doctor, an emerging
pattern evident from the attacks on other doctors committed to the cause of the people during the ongoing COVID pandemic, which has become the wont of the State.

We strongly condemn the targeting and harassment of Dr. Anwar and this is undoubtedly a vindictive attempt at targeting a
medical professional despite his incontrovertible humanitarian work.  The naming of Dr. Anwar in the charge-sheet indicates the abuse of the law and its process at the hand of the police and appears to be communally motivated.  This is an absolute violation of the right to life and liberty, equality, freedom of speech and expression, and to dissent as a citizen.

The state authorities must instead acknowledge the evidence of the large-scale physical and psychological trauma caused to residents as a consequence of the targeted violence and the  care and support extended by the hospital and the commitment of Dr. Anwar.
We urge the police to immediately remove Dr. Anwar’s name from the charge-sheet of FIR (39/20), Gokulpur Police Station, dated 28 February 2020, as these allegations are unwarranted, fallacious
and defamatory. We demand that the police desist from harassment and intimidation and that no arrest be made on the basis of prejudiced and unwarranted allegations and investigation.
Endorsed by:

1. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan
2. National Alliance for Maternal Health and Human Rights
3. National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM)
4. Right to Food Campaign
5. New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
6. SAHELI, Delhi
7. Dr. T Sundararaman, Peoples Health Movement
8. Amar Jesani, Indian Journal for Medical Ethics
9. Dr. Vandana Prasad, Public Health Professional
10. Dr. Syeda Hameed, Delhi
11. Dr Mira Shiva (Public Health Physician) 
12. Dr. Mohit P. Gandhi, Ph.D. Student, JNU
13. Dr. Yogesh Jain, Chhattisgarh
14. Sarojini N, Public Health Practitioner, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan
15. Dr. Priyank Jain
16. Harsh Mander, Aman Biradari
17. Dr. Sunita Baskar Abraham, Public Health Physician, Bangalore
18. Prabir KC, Public Health Consultant, Kolkata
19. Nandini Sundar, Sociologist
20. Deepa V, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Delhi
21. Inayat Kakar, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Punjab
22. Veena Johari, Mumbai
23. Kavita Srivastava, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties(PUCL), Rajasthan State President
24. Dr Shakeel, CHARM, Patna
25. S Srinivasan, LOCOST
26. Farah Naqvi, Writer & Activist, Delhi
27. Suroor Mander, Karwan e Mohabbat
28. Ravi Kiran Jain, President , PUCL
29. V Suresh, general Secretary, PUCL
30. Brinelle Dsouza, TISS, JSA-MUMBAI, Justice Coalition of Religious Goa
31. Dr Sagari Ramdas, Food Sovereignty Aaliance
32. Navsharan Singh Aman Biradari
33. Natasha Badhwar Karwan e Mohabbat
34. Prof. Mohan Rao, former professor, JNU
35. Dr. TK Sundari Ravindran, Retired Professor, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and
    Technology
36. Deepika Joshi, Researcher, Chhattisgarh
37. Nandita Narain, Delhi University
38. Shabnam Hashmi, Social Activist, Delhi
39. Kalyani Menon-Sen, Feminist Learning Partnerships
40. Pamela Philipose, Journalist, New Delhi
41. Asha Kilaru, Bangalore Birth Network
42. Vineeta Bal, Pune

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43. Dr Hafiz Muhammed K 
44. Rita Manchanda, Delhi
45. Jashodhara Dasgupta, Independent Researcher, New Delhi
46. Sheba Chhachhi, New Delhi
47. Vani Subramaniam, Independent Film Maker, Delhi
48. R Srivats
49. Indranil Mukhopadhyay
50. Lata Singh, JNU
51. Radha Holla Bhar
52. Dimple Oberoi Vahali, Independent Activist
53. Jagdish Patel, Gujarat
54. Abhiti Gupta, Delhi
55. Dipta Bhog – women’s right Activist
56. Richa Chintan, Delhi
57. Susheela Singh, Delhi
58. Shraddha Chickerur, University of Hyderabad
59. Dr. Aparna Hegde, Founder, ARMMAN; Assoc Prof (Hon), Urogynecology, Cama Hospital, Mumbai and
    Founder, Center for Urogynecology and Pelvic Health, New Delhi
60. Dr. Sonali Vaid, Public Health Doctor, New Delhi
61. Sandeep pandey, Socialist Party (India) 
62. Dr. Saima Furqan, Independent Doctor
63. Ahmad Matin Khan, Emergency Medicine Consultant
64. Bijayalaxmi Rautaray, Bhubaneswar,Odisha
65. Padma Deosthali, Mumbai
66. Dr Veena Shatrugna, Medical Scientist (Rtd.)
67. Sunita Sheel, Pune
68. Gooru Murthy, SOCHARA
69. Gouranga Mohapatra,  JSA/BGVS, ODISHA 
70. Poonam Kaushik, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan Delhi
71. Dr Vikas Bajpai, Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, JNU
72. Kamayani Bali Mahabal Human rights activist, Mumbai
73. Nachiket Udupa, Concerned Individual
74. Sneha Makkad, Delhi
75. Dr Sylvia Karpagam public health doctor
76. Sneha Rajaram, Writer, Bangalore
77. Vikash Prakash, Co-ordinator, Ekjut
78. Tejaswi Chhatwal, JNU
79. Mishika Singh, Lawyers for Detainees
80. Lawyers For Detainees
81. Dr Satendra Singh (Individual Capacity), University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, Delhi
82. Shruti Arora
83. Aparna
84. Avijit Dutt, Actor
85. Dr. Karishma Thariani
86. Devika Singh, Child rights worker
87. Karan Seth, Lawyers for Detainees
88. Priyanka, Concerned citizen
89. Chahna Gupta, Concerned citizen
90. Aditya Shrivastava, Right to Food Campaign
91. Campaign Against Hate Speech
92. FORWARD TRUST, Bangalore
93. Binju Abraham
94. Dr.Vishwanath Azad, Convenor, Jharkhand Sarvoday Mitra Mandal
95. Snehal Shah, Independent Researcher. Delhi
96. Mr. Shadan Farasat, Advocate, Supreme Court of India
97. Drishti Chawla, Concerned citizen

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97. Garima Jain, Concerned citizen
98. Radhika Khajuria, Gender & Health Rights Activist, New Delhi
99. CA, Karim Khan
100. Neelanjana, JSA Chhattisgarh
101. Shreya Munoth, Advocate, Delhi
102. Sayan Das from CSMCH, JNU

Date: 30 June 2020