'Shameful' Dance During Chennai Medical Conference Sparks Row

Chennai: Social media is abuzz with reactions after a video surfaced showing a woman dancing during the 47th annual conference of the Association of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. The event, held in Chennai from September 19 to 21, unexpectedly featured a dance performance that was labeled as "shameful" by netizens.In the video, a woman wearing a pair of shorts is seen performing a belly dance in a room full of men. Some of the men are seen whistling at her and dancing with her. A few were holding glasses of drinks while dancing and it is not clear if it was alcohol. The video shocked netizens, who questioned how such a performance could take place at a conference, with a banner in the background reading "ACRSICON 2024."One user posted the video on X, and wrote, "This annual conference of the Association of Colon and Rectal Surgeons of India, held in Chennai from 19th to 21st September. What I want to know from @IMAIndiaOrg is, is this some kind of training in human anatomy? Old doctors grabbing a woman in public is part of which medical practice?"The video has left social media divided. Some called the performance "shameless," while others found it non-problematic.Some X users pointed out that no one actually grabbed the dancer, as claimed by the person who posted the video. One commenter wrote, "To be factually correct, no one really grabbed anyone. As a matter of fact, she ‘grabbed’ someone to dance with. Whether this scenario is cringe-worthy or warranted is another matter." Another user commented, "It's not called grabbing, it’s just dancing for fun. Doctors are human too—why can't they have fun?"However, others condemned the act as shameful. One user wrote, "Shame on them. Why do we ever wonder about atrocities against women? It's right in front of our eyes, in full display." Another commented, "This is utter shamelessness."In response, the Association of Colon and Rectal Surgeons of India (ACRSI) clarified that the performance was originally intended to be a classical dance but was mishandled by the event management team, according to a report by South First.Dr. Kamal Gupta, Secretary of the ACRSI, explained, "Truthfully, we were supposed to have a classical dance performance, and we left the arrangements to the organizers. However, it wasn’t the organizers themselves but the event management team," as quoted by South First.He added that the organizers were focused on academic activities and were surprised to notice the dancer during the conference. He emphasized that it was a mistake on the part of the event manager.Dr. Gupta further noted, "We need to focus solely on our teachings and learning—what we teach and what we learn. All senior faculty members are ashamed of this incident. If you ask me, we are truly ashamed of such events," as quoted by South First.