Govt. calls Assembly session to discuss healthcare facilities…https://onlinenews24hours.com/
Kejriwal issues directions to plug shortage of medicines in hospitals; BJP seeks discussion on ‘constitutional breakdown’, says CM order ‘unlawful’ Assembly session to discuss healthcare facilities…government
The Delhi government has called an Assembly session on Wednesday to discuss issues concerning health- care facilities in the Capital. The move came hours after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), ordered that the shortage of medicines and diagnostic kits at Mohalla Clinics and Delhi government hospitals be addressed.
Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a post on X, said he had sought information from Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on the status of free medicines and tests in Delhi govern-
ment hospitals and Mohal- la Clinics so that a report over it could be placed in the House.
He said the officer has been told to come up with a plan if any deficiency is found. Meanwhile, the BJP demanded a discussion on the “constitutional break- down” in Delhi during the session, a proposal for which was submitted by BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar to the Speaker’s office. The proposal was seconded by BJP legislators Mohan Singh Bisht and Jitendra Mahajan.
Mr. Mahawar said all instructions being reportedly issued by the CM while in ED custody are “unlawful”. The BJP has also ac- cused Delhi Ministers of “misleading people”. The party said as Mr. Kejriwal is in the ED custody, he can- not write notes or letters without the permission of the court.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said Mr. Bharadwaj’s state- ment that the Chief Minis- ter expressed concerned over the non-availability of pathological test facilities and medicines in govern- ment hospitals is an admis- sion of the failure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in providing healthcare services.
Reacting to the accusations, AAP alleged that the BJP’s intention is to divert people’s attention from the sum of around 60 crore it received through electoral bonds from Aurobindo Pharma director Sarath Chandra Reddy, an ac- cused-turned-approver in the excise policy case in which the CM has been arrested. “The ED should stop planting stories and con- duct a raid on the BJP office to get to the root of the issue,” it said.
CM’s directions…
Earlier in the day, Mr. Bharadwaj read out the CM’s directions at a press conference.
This was the second or- der the AAP government has claimed to have re- ceived from Mr. Kejriwal after his arrest by the agency on March 21. Mr. Kejriwal had on March 24 directed Water Minister Atishi to ensure the redressal of grievances related to water supply and sewerage.
“Even though he is in custody, he is worried about the health of the pe- ople. He has received infor- mation that medicines and free diagnostic tests are not available at many Mohalla Clinics and hospitals,” Mr. Bharadwaj told reporters.
Mr. Kejriwal was arrested after he skipped nine summonses issued by the agency for questioning since December last year. The case involves allegations that the now- scrapped 2021-22 Delhi excise policy benefited certain liquor manufacturers and retailers for monetary considerations.
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