Never a dull moment in Indian politics till Aam Aadmi Party is around. Enthused by their victory in Bawana bypolls in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal today decided to take on Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. 45 AAP MLAs camped at LG’s office on Wednesday demanding the LG clears the mohalla clinic files immediately.
इस समय लगभग 45 विधायक LG निवास पर उपस्थित हैं,और ठान के आये हैं की जनता की मांग पर मोहल्ला क्लिनिक की फ़ाइलें पास करवा कर ही जायेगें।
अब बस pic.twitter.com/mez2A2m9fK— Alka Lamba (@LambaAlka) August 30, 2017
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal then got into action and pleaded how LG should not let Delhi people ‘suffer’ by ‘politicising’ the mohalla clinic issue.
There shud be no politics wid Moh Clinics. It involves health of 2 cr Delhiites. LG must clear file immediately now(1/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 30, 2017
Public suffering due 2 delays. LG shud call all officers n sort it out. I am prepared to come wid my ministers 2 Raj niwas, if LG wants(2/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 30, 2017
Let LG sort out all objections across the table rather than files moving up n down. My sincere request(3/3)
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 30, 2017
Aam Aadmi Party Twitter warriors did not lose a chance to pounce on the opportunity and pleaded that mohalla clinics are essential to avoid a Gorakhpur-like tragedy.
Dear @LtGovDelhi & @PMOIndia c pathetic conditions of govt hospitls/Clincs in Raj,UP.
Mohalla Clinics is need of Delhi. Politics can wait. https://t.co/T28XCnJPHD— ASHUTOSH MISHRA (@ashu3page) August 30, 2017
Some more emotional tweets were thrown in.
Mohalla Clinics r much needed to save Delhi from Dengue-chikungunya … There should be no politics at the cost of peoples lives?
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) August 30, 2017
And then, things escalated quickly when all 45 MLAs wrote a letter saying they’ll camp there in LG’s office till he passes the files for mohalla clinic.
Dear @LtGovDelhi,MLAs are still waiting for your time in your secretariate. Its been 4 hours but we can wait here longer for Muholla clinics pic.twitter.com/S1bJnC8R8V
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) August 30, 2017
Let us take a step back and try and understand the situation.
Satyendar Jain, against whom CBI has filed an FIR with regards to the money laundering case against him, is the health minister of AAP. It is under him the mohalla clinics come. Earlier today, it was reported that Enforcement Directorate may file a fresh money laundering case against him.
In February this year, the LG had given a nod to 300 mohalla clinics. Interestingly, in the same month, mohalla clinics came under scanner for alleged irregularities in running them. There are also reports where allegations were made about false entries of patients treated by the doctors to ensure good income. There are allegations of corruption and overcharging by these mohalla clinics from the government.
Let us not also forget that Delhi health minister Jain’s daughter, who is an architect by qualification, was made an “advisor” in mohalla clinics, which she quit after eyebrows were raised on the appointment.
Things get interesting here.
On 29th August, Health Minister Satyendar Jain received letter from the Special Secretary (Vigilance) raising questions about the mohalla clinic. However, instead of providing facts to refute the allegations, Jain decided to ‘assure’ that not a single ‘wrongdoing’ will be tolerated.
All 45 MLAs camping at LG’s office for the mohalla clinic, which is Jain’s department, days after CBI files an FIR against him in the money laundering case, raises more than a few eyebrows.
