Delhi: AAP and BJP Clash Over Road Accident Victim Scheme
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Synopsis
Former Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the BJP government for ending a scheme that provided free medical care to road accident victims. The BJP responded, alleging corruption within the program, thus igniting a political dispute over the handling of healthcare services.
Key Takeaways
- Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the BJP for ending the free treatment scheme.
- The BJP claims the scheme was plagued by corruption.
- Over 10,000 lives were reportedly saved under the Farishtey Dilli Ke scheme.
- Concerns raised about the effectiveness of government hospitals.
- Questions about the collaboration between private hospitals and the AAP.
New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) Former Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP-led government on Sunday of terminating a scheme that provided free medical care to road accident victims in private hospitals. In response, the Delhi BJP claimed the scheme was compromised by corruption.
Bharadwaj highlighted that over 10,000 lives were saved under the previous AAP government’s 'Farishtey Dilli Ke' program, which was initiated in 2017.
In a strong rebuttal, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva stated that all initiatives under Arvind Kejriwal were merely fronts for fraud.
He pointed out that the Farishte Scheme contradicts the previous Kejriwal administration's assertions of providing a world-class health framework.
Since 2015, the former AAP government has boasted about top-notch healthcare services and efficient hospitals.
In this regard, he questioned why, if government hospitals were fully operational, the Farishte Scheme was established in 2017 to ensure immediate free treatment for road accident victims?
“It is evident that either the government hospitals were dysfunctional, or the aim was to redirect accident victims to private hospitals, where inflated bills could be incurred under the guise of offering services, thus facilitating commission-driven corruption,” he elaborated.
Sachdeva noted that although the Kejriwal government launched the Farishte Scheme in mid-2017, by mid-2023, the program was virtually inactive.
He asserted that this scheme operated for roughly 2,000 days over six years, with only 22,000 beneficiaries reported by Saurabh Bharadwaj.
“This indicates that during this timeframe, around 11 serious accidents occurred daily in Delhi, necessitating that all victims be taken to private hospitals. This strongly suggests either the government hospitals were ineffective or there was collusion between private hospitals and AAP affiliates to manipulate the system, leading to the misappropriation of public funds,” he stated.
The Delhi BJP President assured that the BJP administration and Delhi Police would ensure optimal medical assistance for road accident victims through government hospitals.
