UP Police Raids, Shuts Down Woman's Clinic For Husband's Anti-CAA Views

In another vindictive act, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has been accused of raiding and closing down an Allahabad-based ultrasound clinic owned by a doctor whose husband has been voicing his opinions against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

This comes after the BJP government in India's most populous state decided to put up hoardings with names and pictures of those protesting against the CAA and publicly shame them.

The Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum (PMSF) has opposed the UP government's action against the clinic and has called it an unfair act to teach a lesson to the doctor's family who showed his dissent against the CAA.

On Sunday, March 8, the police raided the clinic owned by Madhavi Mittal, an alumna of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

The raids were conducted when Madhavi was not in town and the Police sealed the clinic in her absence. The district administration, however, cited "technical deficiency" as the reason for shutting down the clinic.

"We believe the sealing is a vindictive step taken by the Yogi Adityanath government to teach a lesson to her husband, Dr Ashish Mittal," The Telegraph quoted the PMSF national convenor Harjit Singh Bhatti as saying.

"This action of the Yogi Adityanath government marks a new low in the suppression of democratic rights in the state," the PMSF said. "They are targeting not only those who are voicing dissenting opinions but even their relatives. This dictatorial, unlawful and senseless act must be condemned by all."

They have also requested support from the Indian medical community urging for an immediate de-sealing of the clinic.

Ashish, who is the general secretary of the All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha has been openly supporting the women opposing the CAA in Allahabad's Mansoor Park.

He claims that the clinic had all the needed documentation and papers. He also said that the staff had requested the officials to consult Madhavi if the authorities wanted any additional information, but they turned down the request.

"When a lawyer-friend confronted them, asked them how they could seal a closed clinic in the absence of the doctor, he was told on the sidelines that they had orders to seal the clinic," Mittal said.

Senior superintendent of police of Allahabad, Satyarth Aniruddha Pankaj however, has denied all claims and said that no ultrasound clinic was raided or ordered to shut down recently.

"We don't know about any clinic which is being sealed. We have not taken any such action," Pankaj said.

Ashish however, has put up a picture that shows a police officer presence while the clinic was being closed down.

The PMSF has also called the Adityanath government "blatantly patriarchal" for targetting someone who has expressed his contentment with the government's newly introduced law.

Also Read: "Damage Already Done": Activist Sadaf Jafar On Allahabad HC's Orders To Remove Hoardings Naming Accused In Anti-CAA Protests