Guwahati, Feb 17: A lady doctor from the Clinical Psychology department of Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has written to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, alleging workplace harassment and administrative obstruction affecting the newly established Department of Clinical Psychology.

In her letter, the doctor detailed a series of incidents involving the then Principal and Chief Superintendent, Professor Achyut Baishya.
“After the establishment of the independent Department of Clinical Psychology, the then Principal initially appreciated my efforts. However, on one occasion, he insisted that I meet him in his office at the college building, even though we had already met and could conveniently interact within the hospital premises. I felt uncomfortable with this request and avoided the meeting, which is documented through WhatsApp messages,” she wrote.

The doctor further stated that, despite the formal establishment of the department, she was not initially given the charge of Head of the Department (HoD). The matter required intervention from the Director of Medical Education, Dr Anup Barman, who later issued an official notification appointing her as HoD.

She also alleged that during a personal interaction, the Principal asked her personal questions about her place of residence and made a remark she perceived as inappropriate.

“He stated, ‘When you are absolutely free and alone, call me, I will come.’ I was taken aback and responded politely, stating that I am never alone or free as I remain occupied with interns and patients. Being my immediate superior, I was unsure how to respond to what I perceived as an inappropriate and unwelcome remark,” she wrote.

According to the letter, the Principal later remarked that as HoD she could meet him anytime and that his door was always open. “Given the prior interaction, this statement caused further discomfort,” she noted.

The doctor said these incidents caused her considerable mental distress, which she communicated to the Director of Medical Education. She further alleged that when she initiated steps to introduce academic courses and invite faculty members, her proposals were repeatedly delayed.

“On one occasion, the Principal told me, ‘Mythili, don’t go too fast or you will be derailed.’ This statement deeply affected me and caused significant emotional distress,” she stated.

In an attempt to resolve the matter, she met the Principal and expressed concerns about what she described as a lack of institutional support. “I clearly conveyed that without institutional backing, it would not be possible to develop the department. He questioned my perception, to which I replied that my professional training as a psychologist enabled me to sense these issues,” she wrote.

The letter further alleged administrative non-compliance regarding staffing. Despite a government notification directing the transfer of Lecturer Dharitri Dutta to the Department of Clinical Psychology, the order was not implemented.

The Principal reportedly cited NMC norms, stating that one clinical psychologist must remain in the Department of Psychiatry — an interpretation the doctor described as incorrect, given that a separate department had already been established.

She stated that she single-handedly trained 57 interns under the department, each paying Rs 8,000 to GMCH, and initiated correspondence with NIMHANS for a Memorandum of Understanding to introduce certificate courses.

She claimed her efforts were aimed at bringing Clinical Psychology at GMCH to national prominence and strengthening community mental health services.
The situation escalated, she alleged, when a notification was later issued for the cancellation of the Department of Clinical Psychology and its merger with another department.

“When I sought clarification, the Principal was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation and stated that my colleagues were against me,” she wrote.
She added that both the Commissioner to the Government, Siddhartha Singh, and the then Director of Medical Education, Dr Anup Kr Barman, expressed surprise and concern over the development, describing it as a grave injustice to her and to the department.

The letter has now been placed before the Chief Minister, seeking appropriate intervention.

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