An activist from Muzaffarpur on Monday filed a complaint in a court in Bihar against Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey for reportedly saying that Biharis were flocking to the All India Institute of Medical Science in Delhi and straining the hospital’s resources, PTI reported.
The minister of state for health and family welfare allegedly made this statement while inaugurating the Indradhanush campaign for vaccination of children on Sunday, News18 reported. “We have this peculiar habit of visiting AIIMS in Delhi for everything,” Choubey was quoted as saying. “The people of Bihar tend to go there even for a small disease.” He added that he has asked the doctors to send such patients back to the state.
Activist Tamanna Hashmi said that he was hurt and insulted by Choubey’s remarks. Chief Judicial Magistrate Hari Prasad had posted the matter for Tuesday. Hashmi asked for a First Information Report to be registered under IPC sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and section 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).
The comments were criticised by the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Its national Vice President Shivanand Tiwary said Choubey has no right to direct doctors to not treat patients from Bihar. “He is holding a ministerial portfolio at the Centre for the first time and has forgotten his responsibilities,” Tiwary said.
However, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said that Choubey had been misunderstood. “He was trying to say that the newly constructed AIIMS in Patna will be developed at par with the AIIMS in Delhi and that there would be no need for the people of Bihar to visit Delhi for treatment,” Pandey said.
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