Mohalla clinics: AAP MLAs leave LG house; meeting to be held between CM, health minister and LG tomorrow at 5 PM

New Delhi:

A huge confrontation has ended between AAP MLAs and LG Anil Baijal regarding the Mohalla clinics. A meeting has been scheduled between Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, health minister and LG tomorrow at 5 PM.

Earlier, on Wednesday, more than 40 AAP legislators camped at the Lieutenant Governor’s house refusing to leave till he signed files including one that okayed the construction of Mohalla Clinics.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “There should be no politics with Mohalla Clinics. It involves the health of 2 crore Delhiites. LG must clear file immediately now. The public is suffering due to delays. The LG should call all officers and sort it out. I am prepared to come with my ministers 2 Raj Niwas, if LG wants. Let LG sort out all objections across the table rather than moving the files up and down.”

लोग पूछते हैं हमारे इलाके में मोहल्ला क्लिनिक कब बनेंगे, इसी बात के लिए एल जी साहब से समय लिया गया था- @Saurabh_MLAgk pic.twitter.com/Zyk6DVUgHM

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) August 30, 2017

Arvind Kejriwal led AAP vs LG Anil Baijal Updates:

# All the AAP MLAs leave LG house

# The AAP MLAs said that tomorrow a meeting will be held at 5 PM between CM Kejriwal, health minister and LG Anil Baijal

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Delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal's Office releases statement on #MohallaClinics files

cc @Saurabh_MLAgk @LambaAlka pic.twitter.com/15pj7xKZde

— AAP Ka Mehta (@DaaruBaazMehta) August 30, 2017

# AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said that they were not ill treated

# The police can anytime force the MLAs out of LG house

# The police has been sent inside the LG house in civil dress

# The LG has discussed the whole matter with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

# AAP MLAs are saying that they will spend the whole day at LG house

Let's take a look at the Raj Niwas press release:

45 AAP MLAs storm Raj Niwas, display conduct which is unbecoming of responsible elected representatives. 

# Complaints and vigilance findings of the alleged irregularities in Mohalla Clinics yet to be addressed by elected Government: LG to MLAs

# No proposal or file about Mohalla Clinics pending as on date in the office of Lt. Governor

A prior appointment had been taken by Sh. Saurabh Bhardwaj to discuss the issue of Mohalla Clinics with the Hon’ble LG for 2.30 pm today. Sh. Saurabh Bhardwaj was to be accompanied by 4 other MLAs in his delegation, as promised and confirmed by him. However, a delegation of nearly 45 MLAs headed by Sh. Saurabh Bhardwaj assembled in front of Raj Niwas and demanded to meet the Hon’ble LG.

The Hon’ble LG, despite his scheduled Court hearings at 3 pm, agreed to meet the entire delegation in his Conference Hall even though it was already past 2.50 pm. At the outset, the Hon’ble members of the Legislative Assembly expressed their concern at the Mohalla clinics not being established as envisaged in their assembly constituencies.

The Hon’ble LG, after a patient hearing of the views of the MLAs, explained the current status of the proposal and clearly outlined the progress so far. However, unfortunately, the behaviour of the members increasingly became extremely rude and discourteous.

Despite being given a chronological status of the entire proposal and repeatedly being told by the Hon’ble LG that the proposal has been returned to the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 5th July 2017 with a request to address the complaints, the MLAs continued to behave in a belligerent manner without any interest in responding to facts and logic. 

Hon’ble LG also spoke to the Hon’ble CM with a view to resolve the matter and explained that in a democratic government, decisions are taken on the basis of facts as per law on file and there is no file currently pending with the LG office on the subject. The decision can be taken only after a proper proposal is submitted by the Hon’ble Health Minister. Laying siege to the office of a constitutional functionary is no way to resolve issues in a democratic system based on rule of law. However, the Hon’ble CM did not relent and did not come to the office of Lt. Governor skipping the weekly meeting of CM and LG, scheduled at 5 pm.  

It may be noted that the Hon’ble Lt. Governor had given his approval to the Cabinet Decision No. 2396 dated 26.07.2016 for opening of Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics porta-cabins at school sites under 1000 AAMCs project on 09th January 2017 i.e. within 10 days of his assuming the charge as Lt. Governor, subject to following rules/procedures. 

However, complaints were received in the Lt. Governor’s Secretariat in September 2016; October 2016, November 2016 and December 2016 pertaining to conceptualization and implementation of Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics that have been set up so far. Broadly, the gist of allegations levelled in the complaints is as follows:

# No transparent method to select premises for Mohalla Clinic.

# Rent of premises higher than market rent.  

# Premises of party workers rented.  

# Location of clinics not in synchronization with existing dispensaries.

# Four hours for running the clinic not adequate.

# No proper accounting of the patients examined which decides payment to doctors. 

The matter is under further investigation by the Vigilance Department.The files pertaining to the Cabinet Decisions on Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics were sent to Hon’ble Chief Minister with the copy of complaints received regarding their functioning on 05th July 2017, for his consideration and re-submission of the proposal taking into account the nature of complaints.

These files have not been submitted back as on date.Hon’ble Chief Minister chaired a meeting on 23rd August 2017 to review the status of availability of land for establishment of new Mohalla Clinics. Presently, there is no proposal or file pending in the office of the Hon’ble Lt. Governor relating to Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics. 

Further, no request for allotment of land for the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics from the elected Government is pending with the office of the Lt. Governor. 

It may be noted that in his discussions with the Hon’ble Chief Minister and Health Minister, the Hon’ble LG has repeatedly stressed on the need to lay down a proper Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for establishing these Mohalla clinics within the ambit of various rules/judicial pronouncements so that they function in an optimum manner to meet the health care needs of the people of Delhi.

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