Controversy after burqa-clad visitors allegedly stopped at Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital

A woman alleged being asked to remove her burqa at Cooper Hospital, sparking a political controversy. The hospital issued a show-cause notice and conducted staff sensitisation workshops after the incident. Advocates reported similar experiences, citing security reasons for the alleged restriction. Political leaders across parties reacted, with some backing security concerns and others condemning discrimination. The episode has ignited a debate on hospital security protocols and attire-based restrictions.

Mumbai: Amid the controversy surrounding the alleged burqa incident at Mumbai’s BMC-run Cooper Hospital, Mayor Ritu Tawde on Tuesday said that action would be taken against those found responsible. She also stressed that judging anyone based on their religion was “very wrong”.Speaking to reporters about the incident, Tawde said, “Absolutely, I will. If someone has done this on humanitarian grounds, then it is completely wrong. Look, this is a matter of basic humanity. This is a hospital run by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, and such an incident should not have happened.”Mumbai, Maharashtra: Reacting to the burqa controversy at Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital, Mayor Ritu Tawde says, "Absolutely, I will. If someone has done this on humanitarian grounds, then it is completely wrong. Look, this is a matter of basic humanity. This is a hospital run by the… pic.twitter.com/JSis0X7emN— IANS (@ians_india) September 1, 2026 Emphasising that hospitals should not discriminate against people based on their religion, Tawde said that whether someone is Muslim, Hindu or follows any other faith, judging them on that basis is wrong. “This is completely wrong,” she added.Viral video sparks debateMeanwhile, a viral video has sparked a debate on social media after two women wearing burqas were allegedly stopped from entering Mumbai’s BMC-run Cooper Hospital.The video shows the two women, one of whom was carrying a baby, being stopped at the hospital entrance by a female security guard. The footage further shows one of the women confronting the guard and questioning why they were not being allowed to enter the hospital while wearing a burqa.The incident shown at BMC-run Cooper Hospital is deeply concerning. I have spoken to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Public Health) and requested immediate verification of the incident and appropriate action. No woman should face discrimination because of her attire or… pic.twitter.com/MMDoxLafnE— Rais Shaikh (@rais_shk) August 31, 2026 According to reports, the women were allegedly stopped because hospital authorities feared that babies could be stolen by women wearing burqas. One of the women claimed that she had visited Cooper Hospital to meet a relative who was admitted there.Video: Women In Burqas Allegedly Stopped At Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital, Told ‘Babies Get Stolen’; Sparks ControversyWoman questions security arrangementsThe woman seen in the video also questioned the hospital’s security arrangements, saying that if there were concerns about baby theft, a female security guard should be deployed at the entrance to check women entering and leaving the hospital.Amid the controversy, Cooper Hospital has not yet issued an official statement or commented on the alleged incident. The video has since gone viral on social media, triggering a debate over the hospital’s alleged security practices and the treatment of women wearing burqas.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/ 

Mumbai: A controversy has erupted at BMC-run Dr RN Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle after a woman alleged that a woman security guard asked her to remove her burqa before allowing her to enter the neonatal ward. The hospital administration has since issued a show-cause notice to the security guard and said stricter security measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of newborn babies.Woman Alleges Entry Was DeniedThe woman, identified as advocate Jahanara Shaikh, said she had gone to the hospital to visit a relative admitted to the maternity ward. According to her, security personnel stopped her and her friend at the entrance and told them that women wearing burqas would not be allowed inside. She alleged that when she questioned the reason, the security personnel cited concerns over babies being stolen from the hospital.Shaikh objected to the demand, saying that asking her to remove the burqa violated her dignity and privacy. She also questioned why a particular form of attire should be treated as a security concern.Privacy Concerns RaisedA video purportedly showing the exchange between Shaikh and the security personnel has also surfaced on social media, triggering a debate over visitor security, infant safety and the manner in which identity checks are conducted in sensitive hospital areas.Mira-Bhayander Voter List Row: Minister Pratap Sarnaik Raises Questions Over 2.13 Lakh Deleted Entries Ahead Of Civic PollsWhen contacted by the Free Press Journal, Dr Chhaya Shinde, Dean of Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital, said a female security guard on duty had asked the woman, who had come to visit the neonatal ward, to remove her burqa.“At that time, the security guard should have asked her to show her face or move the veil aside. Later, the security guard apologised to the woman for the incident,” said Shinde.She added that the hospital has implemented stricter security measures for the safety of newborn babies. “Additionally, the hospital administration has issued a show-cause notice to the security guard in this matter,” she said.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Mumbai: A recent viral video has sparked controversy online after two women wearing burqas were allegedly stopped from entering Mumbai’s BMC-run Cooper Hospital.The video shows the two women, one of whom was carrying a baby, being stopped at the hospital entrance by a female security guard. The footage further shows one of the women confronting the guard and questioning why she was not being allowed to enter the hospital wearing a burqa.The incident shown at BMC-run Cooper Hospital is deeply concerning. I have spoken to the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Public Health) and requested immediate verification of the incident and appropriate action. No woman should face discrimination because of her attire or… pic.twitter.com/MMDoxLafnE— Rais Shaikh (@rais_shk) August 31, 2026 According to one of the women, she was stopped because hospital authorities allegedly feared that babies could be stolen by women wearing burqas. She claimed that she had visited Cooper Hospital to meet a relative who was admitted there.Speaking about the incident, the woman questioned the security arrangements and said that if there were concerns about baby theft, a female security guard should be deployed at the entrance to check women entering and leaving the hospital.Altercation over video recordingAmid the altercation, a male security guard also attempted to stop the person recording the incident on a mobile phone. However, the person refused to stop recording and continued filming despite repeated warnings.Man Molests Burqa-Clad Woman On Street In Moradabad; Arrested After Video Goes ViralWoman recounts alleged incidentOne of the women who was allegedly denied entry has been identified as advocate Jahanara. Speaking to reporters, she said, “I went to Cooper Hospital, and I was stopped right outside the maternity ward and told that I could not go inside wearing a burqa. Even after I spoke to them and introduced myself, I was still stopped and told, 'No matter who you are, we will not allow you to enter in a burqa.' I asked them for the reason—why I was not being allowed inside in a burqa. They said that when people go inside wearing burqas, babies get stolen.”Questioning the security guard’s reasoning, Jahanara asked, “Are babies stolen only by people wearing burqas?”She further said, “I would like to ask whoever made these rules—the hospital management or whichever staff member formulated them—are babies stolen only in burqas? In Wadia Hospital, babies were stolen by someone wearing a saree.”Hospital yet to respondMeanwhile, Cooper Hospital has not yet issued an official statement or commented on the alleged incident. The video has since gone viral on social media, triggering a debate online over the hospital’s alleged security practices and the treatment of women wearing burqas. To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/