Heated Debate in Himachal Assembly Over Healthcare; 'Rust' Remark Sparks Clash
Shimla. A heated debate unfolded in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly during a discussion under Rule 130 on the state of healthcare services. Controversy erupted after Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri remarked that "rust had settled on healthcare services and now it is being cleaned." Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur objected, stating that such language is inappropriate for the Assembly.
Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri defended Sultanpuri and retorted to Jairam, saying, "Why are you caught up with the last line? Engage with the first line instead. Set the Lakshman Rekha first." To this, Jairam responded, "The first line is confused among itself. You settle your own house first."
Opposition leaders slammed the government for allegedly halting public welfare schemes like HIMCARE and Ayushman Bharat, claiming poor patients are now unable to get proper treatment. The government, however, defended its stance, with Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil stating that 54 model hospitals are now functional, and 15 more will be built.
MLA Vinod Sultanpuri further alleged that even when the former Health Minister hailed from his area, there were serious lapses — including a case where a dead body remained in the hospital for three days without post-mortem. “We are constructing a mortuary from MLA funds. The Leader of Opposition cannot silence my voice,” he asserted.
BJP MLAs Sukhram Chaudhary and Anuradha Rana criticized the closure of Ayushman and HIMCARE schemes, calling them lifelines for the poor. Other MLAs raised concerns over conditions at Tanda Medical College, IGMC, and other key healthcare centers.
3 Comments