BJP fumes as Punjab withdraws support for Viksit Bharat Yatra

Tribune News Service

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, January 10

A new tussle has started between the Punjab Government and the BJP as the state government has refused to support the Centre’s Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. After the Health Department, now the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats has also refused to extend any support to the yatra.

Aimed at promoting the central-sponsored schemes, the yatra was started in the state in November last year. All MGNREGA secretaries, panchayat secretaries, e-gram sewaks and BDPOs and health officials were deputed for the promotion of the scheme.

However, in an order issued on Monday, the National Health Mission (NHM), Punjab, has instructed all civil surgeons not to extend any support to the yatra since the Centre had stalled funds under the NHM due to ‘branding’ of Aam Aadmi Clinics done by the state government.

Following this, even the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, which had deputed all MGNREGA secretaries, panchayat secretaries, e-gram sewaks and BDPOs and health officials for the promotion of scheme, has asked its officials to stay away from the campaign. Sources revealed that ADCs (Development) of all districts have been instructed to not extend any support to the yatra. Earlier, in addition to holding cultural events, uploading of data and photos, gram panchayat committees were formed with 10-12 local officials, besides a nodal officer.

Slamming the state government for its alleged ‘pettiness’ to withdraw support to the yatra, Punjab state BJP president Sunil Jakhar has said that AAP’s penchant for manufacturing confrontation is detrimental to state’s long-term interests and governance.

People of Punjab are the biggest sufferers due to this attitude of AAP to unnecessarily dig up controversies just to distract masses from the main issues, Jakhar said.

The state government should have rather welcomed it as the state dispensation has miserably failed in ensuring health facilities to people, Jakhar said while mocking the so-called ‘health kranti’.

Reacting sharply to what he termed as a decision taken in haste under pressure from ‘Delhi masters’, Jakhar asked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to come clean on reasons behind this illogical move. The letter issued by the NHM Director does not specify any reason for withdrawal, the BJP leader said.

Taking on the state AAP leadership for deliberately choosing to miss Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari's function in Hoshiarpur, Jakhar said, "The CM must have known the weather and like an 'aam aadmi' could have travelled by road. This is not only disrespectful to a senior Union minister but also shows the juvenile attitude of state leaders, including the CM," Jakhar said.

All attempts to contact Director, Rural Development, Amit Kumar remained futile as he expressed inability to comment because he was on leave.

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