Govt faces flak as free langar service at IGMC ‘forcibly’ shut
SHIMLA: The BJP government is drawing flak from the public and Opposition for shutting down the langar being run by Shimla-based philanthropist Sarbjeet Singh Bobby’s charitable organisation, Almighty Blessings, at the Cancer Hospital.
On Saturday evening, the philanthropist, who goes by the name of Vella Bobby, said the police had forcefully vacated the langar hall and had thrown utensils and food on the road. The langar has been running without a break since October 25, 2014, and has provided free food to around 3,000 people daily, including patients who come to the Cancer Hospital for treatment and their attendants, he wrote.
Bobby, who has just had a kidney transplant, said he will not be able to stage a protest as he was still recovering. “I surrender... Vella Bobby is no more Vella,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, IGMC senior medical superintendent Dr Janak Raj said the hospital did not have a problem with charity work, any organisation, or a person.
“However, this cannot be done by encroaching on hospital property. We had been receiving complaints against the concerned organisation,” he said.
Dr Raj said when they visited spot on Saturday it was found that the electricity and water connection at the langar hall were illegal. “Patients have the first right on hospital property and the IGMC administration is committed to provide best of services to them. No hospital anywhere has an arrangement for running charity on its premises. Everything has been done in accordance with law,” he said.
Deputy medical superintendent Dr Rahul Gupta said the langar was being run adjacent to the radiology department where a cobalt machine had been installed. “In 2016, a LPG cylinder had caught fire at the langar hall, had it led to a radiation leak, it would have resulted in casualties,” he said.
Dr Gupta said the charity group was asked to vacate the premises several times but they did not pay heed.
Shimla superintendent of police Monika Bhutungru rubbished the charge of use of police force.
“The langar hall was vacated by IGMC authorities and the police force was deployed there for maintaining law and order,” he said.
Different Opposition parties have come in support of Bobby. CPI (M) leader and former Shimla mayor Sanjay Chauhan said, “The way they vacated the langar premises through use of force was very unfortunate. If the langar was illegal, how was it running for so long in the hospital complex?” he asked.
Congress legislator Vikramaditya Singh also organised a protest at The Ridge against the IGMC administration and police.