AAP accuses BJP of Mohalla clinic sackings

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday attacked the Delhi BJP government, alleging the dismissal of thousands of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and multi-tasking workers (MTWs) from the Mohalla clinics.

Responding to the allegations, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh said the government will not do injustice to anyone and everyone eligible will be included.

"There will be a proper process to hire doctors and all eligible candidates can apply. There will be transparency in the selection as we aim to provide the best healthcare to our people.

"All good doctors and healthcare workers will be with us. Everything will be done systematically," the minister told PTI.

Earlier, addressing a press conference, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the minutes of a meeting issued on May 7 indicated plans to shut down most Mohalla clinics in Delhi. The stated reason, he said, was that Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs would be established in their place and wherever an Aarogya Mandir is built, there would be no need for a nearby Mohalla Clinic.

According to him, the statement read that the clinics would remain operational only until the Aarogya Mandirs are constructed, after which both the clinics and their personnel would be removed.

"They've been trying to get a meeting with the chief minister since then. But when they got no response, they were left with no choice but to come in thousands to the CM's Janta Darbar," he said.

Bharadwaj accused the BJP of going back on its promise.

"Before elections, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), (Union Health Minister) J P Nadda and every BJP MP and minister promised that no public welfare scheme run during the AAP government tenure -- be it free electricity, 20,000 litres of water or Mohalla clinics -- would be stopped. But the first order by the new health minister was to shut down 250 rented clinics," he said.

"With the sentiment of political hatred, all the facilities are being shut down. And on top of that, the people who used to come to the clinics every day, used to get free treatment, free medicines and free tests, those facilities are also being shut down by the BJP," he added.

Bharadwaj noted that many of the staffers have been working since 2017.

"For more than eight years, they've worked, earning between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 a month. Their income depends on patient turnout. Their entire family is dependent on them," he said.

"Just like the BJP removed over 10,000 bus marshals, data entry operators in hospitals, yoga instructors, Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC) fellows and guest teachers, now they're targeting the Mohalla Clinic staff. This is shameful," he added.

"In Arvind Kejriwal's government, the poor got jobs. Today, under the BJP, they are being removed without any thought about how they will run their homes and feed their families," he added.