Ambala, June 9: In protest against the objectionable remarks made by Renu Bhatia, Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, regarding the daughters of nurses, government nursing officers across the state went on strike on Monday. Staff nurses held a protest and raised slogans at the Civil Hospital campus in Ambala City from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The Haryana Nursing Federation has sent a letter to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini demanding the removal of the Chairperson from her post.
The protesting nurses stated that Renu Bhatia had visited the Civil Hospital in Kurukshetra on June 7 to investigate the case of a doctor raping a minor girl. During the visit, she used inappropriate language toward the nursing staff. She even remarked, "If your daughter were left alone with someone for 15 minutes, what would happen?" This triggered outrage among the nursing staff.
The nurses argued that there should be an investigation into who re-appointed the doctor who was already facing charges of similar misconduct. They stated that Renu Bhatia questioned why the three nurses on duty were not present inside the room when the doctor was examining the girl, implying that the nurses were complicit with the doctor. Angered by these remarks, the nurses held a two-hour protest, demanding that Renu Bhatia either apologize for her "absurd" remarks or resign. They warned that their protest will continue if she does not offer a public apology and demanded that the government take notice of the matter and take appropriate action.
From 10:00 AM, nursing staff in all government hospitals across the state began protesting and raising slogans against Renu Bhatia. The strike also affected the Outpatient Department (OPD), causing inconvenience to patients.
It is noteworthy that on June 7, Renu Bhatia had scolded the nursing staff on duty, including Principal Medical Officer Dr. Sarah Agarwal, at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Civil Hospital in Kurukshetra. She was there to investigate the rape of a 15-year-old girl. During the visit, she asked the nursing officer, "Do you also have a daughter? Would you leave her alone in a room with someone for 15 minutes? Then how was this girl left alone?" In protest against this statement, work was suspended at the Kurukshetra Civil Hospital on Sunday, and now these protests have spread across the state. 
The Haryana Nursing Association had called for a symbolic strike from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Association State President Vinita said that the dignity of the nursing staff has been insulted. The Women's Commission Chairperson must realize that nursing officers are also women, and her public comments have insulted them.