AAP govt blocking Ayushman Bharat scheme: Amit Shah

NEWDELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday asked party workers to reach out to people and explain to them how the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi is creating hindrance in implementation of the Centre’s flagship health i nsurance scheme – Ayushman Bharat.

Shah said that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was denying the one-and-a-half crore residents of the national capital benefits of the scheme, fearing it would enhance Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity.

“The government of India sent them reminder after reminder but they did not implement Ayushman Bharat. Kejriwal feared it will enhance Modi’s popularity,” Shah said.

The BJP chief was addressing party workers at the inaugura- tion ceremony of the party’s Karol Bagh district office. “They (AAP government) excused from implementing Ayushman Bharat saying Mohalla Clinics can take care of the health needs of people. I want to ask Kejriwal if cancer treatment and heart transplant can be done there. He himself should get treatment from Mohalla Clinics to know their realities,” Shah said.

Responding to charges levelled by Shah, the AAP said the Ayushman Bharat scheme is another ‘white elephant’ in the making.

“A universal healthcare scheme is a must for the country. However, the Ayushman Bharat scheme is not at all a universal scheme and is designed in a manner which is bound to fail. The scheme caters only to secondary and tertiary requirements. It gives a miss to the most important (requirement), the primary healthcare,” the AAP said in a statement.