'Our intentions are pure, clear,' says Mandaviya on Kharge's AIIMS claim

NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday hit back at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's claim on shortages of doctors and health staff at various branches of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospitals across the country saying that the "intentions" of the Narendra Modi government are "pure" and "clear".

In a series of messages on X, formerly Twitter, Mandaviya wrote, "Respected Mr Kharge, Our intentions are pure, and our intentions are clear..!!"

Launching an attack on the Congress, Mandaviya said that while only one AIIMS was opened during the 50 years of Congress rule, six were opened during the time of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and 15 were opened in the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I hope you will understand the reality. An AIIMS opened during the 50 years of Congress rule. 6 AIIMS were opened in the time of Vajpayee ji and 15 new AIIMS are being opened in the time of Modi ji," the Health Minister added.

Mandaviya said that phase-wise recruitment is being done at the premier health institutes in the country according to the requirement of AIIMS. "It is expected that you will also try to understand that according to the requirement of AIIMS, phase-wise recruitment is being done from time to time when new departments are opened," he wrote in another message on X.

"Modi ji has distributed more than 5 lakh appointment letters to the youth of the country under the Rojgar Mela," he added. The Health Minister also stressed that those appointments were given on the "basis of merit", without any "nepotism". Mandaviya also asked the Congress chief to inform the citizens about the steps taken by the Congress-led UPA government in the past in the field of health. "That too only on the basis of merit. Without any acquaintance and nepotism! I would also hope that you inform the citizens of the country, if there has been any achievement in the health sector during the UPA period, then you will also inform the country about that!" Mandaviya wrote in another tweet.

Highlighting the failure of the UPA regime, Mandaviya said that the opposition is putting in efforts to "mislead" the country. He assured that recruitment will be done in the newly opened AIIMS and the government is welcome to suggestions. "The country is understanding very well the failure of the UPA era and the way efforts are being made to mislead the country at present. Modi government has opened new AIIMS and we will also do the recruitment, you just keep watching and giving suggestions," he wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge shared a media report of the shortages of doctors and health staff at AIIMS across the country and accused the Narendra Modi government of peddling 'lies', 'loots' and 'jumlas' (scams).

"Loot and jumlas made the country unhealthy, Only lies are memorized in every word of Modi ji! Claimed to have made many AIIMS, the truth is that our AIIMS is facing a severe shortage of doctors and staff," read Mallikarjun Kharge's message on X. "Mr. Modi, from apathy in the Corona pandemic, to scams in Ayushman Bharat… your government has made the country's health system sick. The people have woken up. Your deceit has been recognized. The time has come for your government to bid farewell!" Kharge added.

Earlier on Saturday, in a scathing attack against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav over the AIIMS Darbhanga row, Mansukh Mandaviya asked him to provide a “proper place for construction” adding that the Modi government does not do politics in development but does politics of development.

“Dear Tejashwi ji, the Modi government does not do politics in development but does politics of development. Our intention is clear. The permission for AIIMS Darbhanga was given by the Modi government on 19 September 2020 and the first land was given by the Bihar government on 3 November 2021. After this, you came to the government and changed this place on 30 April 2023 while doing politics. The expert committee inspected the land to check the land according to the rules”, he shared in a tweet.