Ex-CBI chief Nageswara Rao alleges illegal circumcision practices in AP; Health minister assures probe

Amaravati: Hours after former CBI director M Nageswara Rao posted on an alleged racket promoting circumcision among non-Muslim boys in Andhra Pradesh, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav responded, saying his department would look into the allegations.

On December 20, the former IPS officer alleged that circumcision procedures among boys, including those from non-Muslim communities, were being conducted in hospitals in the NDA-ruled state. He tagged the Health Minister and addressed the issue.

Organised communal agenda, claims former IPS officer

In a post on X, he wrote, “It has come to my notice through credible sources that many medical practitioners in Andhra Pradesh are being taught or influenced to believe that circumcision is a beneficial medical procedure. As a result, they have been advising and performing circumcisions on non-Muslim boys, a practice that has reportedly been continuing for a considerable period.

This practice is deeply concerning, as it appears to stem from misinformation being disseminated in medical education or training, possibly with an organised effort behind it to promote a particular religious or communal agenda under the guise of scientific medical practice.”

Probe requested into hospital records and examination of teaching materials

The former IPS officer has requested the government to:

1. Constitute a Committee of Inquiry to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the practice of circumcision on non-Muslim boys in Government and private hospitals in Andhra Pradesh, including a review of medical records of the past 10 years or more to ascertain the medical indications and justifications for such procedures in each case.

2. Examine the syllabi, teaching materials and training modules of all medical colleges and institutions in Andhra Pradesh to ascertain whether such information is being imparted as part of the curriculum.

3. Investigate the prevalence of such practices among medical practitioners in the State.

4. Take necessary amendments to medical education guidelines, if required and launch a public awareness campaign to clarify the scientific and medical position on circumcision in non-medical contexts.

The health minister, who is the state’s lone BJP minister, responded that the GoAP is committed to evidence-based medical practice, ethical standards and communal harmony. The Health Department will examine the issue in accordance with established medical guidelines and legal provisions, the minister said.

What is circumcision?

Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin from the penis, a common procedure performed on male infants for religious, cultural or health reasons.