A tussle of words has broken out after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned AIIMS, Darbhanga in a recent event. This mention sparked a war of words between Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. What’s the issue? Well, the construction of AIIMS in Darbhanga is yet to take off, and this has led Tejashwi Yadav to call out the BJP’s “invisible development politics.”
Mandaviya countered by saying that the Modi government believes in “politics of development” rather than “politics in development.” He urged Tejashwi Yadav, who’s in charge of health matters in Bihar, to provide suitable land for the AIIMS project in Darbhanga.
In response, Tejashwi Yadav questioned this idea of “invisible development politics.” He pointed out that the Health Ministry hasn’t even finalized the AIIMS site, despite the Prime Minister’s announcement about the project.
Mandaviya provided a timeline, mentioning that the Modi government gave the green light for AIIMS Darbhanga back in September 2020, and Bihar allocated land in November 2021. However, there was a change in the project’s location on April 30, 2023.
Tejashwi Yadav responded with an interesting observation, highlighting the BJP’s role in Bihar’s health ministry before that timeline. He seemed to be suggesting that Mandaviya was inadvertently pointing out the BJP’s past failures.
What’s the Background?
Initially, Bihar allocated 81 acres of land at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) for the AIIMS project in November 2021. But then, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on January 12, 2023, that the project would be shifted to a more accessible location. The Bihar health department later proposed an alternative site on April 3, 2023.
However, the Union health ministry rejected this new location, deeming it unsuitable, and asked for a better alternative.
Bringing the Spotlight to AIIMS, Darbhanga:
During a virtual address, Prime Minister Modi talked about AIIMS, Darbhanga. He emphasized the importance of premier health centers across the nation, ensuring easy access to medical care.
Tejashwi Yadav, not one to shy away, accused PM Modi of “safed jhooth” (blatant lie). Yadav said, “It’s simply not true for the PM to mention AIIMS, Darbhanga, when the project hasn’t even started yet. It reminds me of Union Home Minister Amit Shah boasting about the achievements of the Purnea airport, even though it’s not operational.”
Yadav went on to say, “The fact is, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the initiative for AIIMS, Darbhanga, and allocated land near a national highway. But the Centre raised concerns about the location of the land.”
So there you have it, a bit of political back-and-forth over the AIIMS, Darbhanga project that’s yet to take shape. Stay tuned to see how this debate unfolds in the days to come.
