Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party supremo is again at loggerheads with the central government. Arvind Kejriwal had recently announced that Delhi government-run hospitals and private hospitals will treat only those coronavirus positive patients who are Delhi residents.
Delhi is the national capital. People from across the country and world live here and call this place their home. They may be domiciled in other states but live, work and contribute to the economy of this state. Now imagine being told that despite all this, you couldn’t get treated to Delhi government run hospitals because well, you’re not from Delhi.
Yes, so you have responsibility to protect the interest and lives of people who voted you to power, but where does your humanity go when it comes to the people of this very nation?
Kejriwal government later issued a list of documents one would need to get admission in Delhi government-run hospitals.
The documents include:
- Voter ID
- Current passbook of bank/post office/Kisan card
- Ration card, passport, income tax return or driving license
- Latest water/electricity/telephone/gas bill on patient’s or immediate relative’s name such as parents etc.
- Post received or delivered on patients name on Delhi address
- Aadhaar card issued before 7th June 2020.
I have been living in Delhi since the past 2.5 years. I have none of these documents in the present address. All my ID proofs have Ahmedabad as a residential address. If in case I need treatment, the chief minister of the state I live in would have turned his back to me. I, of course, could go to a central government-run hospital for treatment, but I shouldn’t have to. I shouldn’t have to be turned away. No patient should be turned away.
The Delhi LG on Monday evening overturned this order by Arvind Kejriwal. Because, you know, you cannot deny medical assistance to someone in need just because they are not Delhi residents. It goes against the basic tenets of humanity.
You just don’t abandon your people, even if they didn’t vote for you.
And you just don’t abandon people, especially when they vote for you.
Let me remind you of the time when Arvind Kejriwal rode on the support of the poor. Remember his promises of pakka houses? And clean water and education?
When lockdown was first announced in a bid to curb the coronavirus pandemic, announcements were made on loudspeakers in colonies where workers from other states lived informing them that they will be taken to Anand Vihar bus stop in Delhi from where they could get the buses to their home states. This after most states had sealed borders to stop movement of people so that coronavirus can be contained.
Prior to this, Delhi government-run DTC buses ferried these migrant workers till the UP-Delhi border and just let them off. This after other state governments had already suspended commercial bus services. Following which, lakhs of migrant workers took foot journeys to their homes as the UP state government had closed state transport buses. On humanitarian grounds, after the lakhs of migrant workers were found walking home, the UP government on 28th March announced that it will ply buses to drop off these people to their homes safely. This was done to ensure people do not have to suffer anymore than they already have to owing to the pandemic.
On same day, the Uttar Pradesh authorities had stated that the Delhi authorities disconnected the water and electrical energy connections of individuals. “Throughout lockdown, individuals weren’t even supplied meals and milk in Delhi,” stated the report quoting UP govt sources. The UP authorities have also alleged that DTC buses dropped off individuals on the Delhi border within the title of assist.
Delhi chief minister abandoned lakhs of Indians.
He became the monster he had promised to once fight.
