Opposition demands removal of Jharkhand health minister

Jharkhand opposition parties have sought dismissal of state Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravansi whose aide allegedly demanded Rs.100,000 as a bribe to revoke a doctor's suspension.

Though Chandravansi's personal secretary Satyendra Narayan Singh has denied the allegation, the opposition parties have trained their guns on the health minister from the BJP.

"Any personal secretary of a minister cannot demand money without consent of the minister," Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) legislator Pradeep Yadav told IANS.

"If (chief minister) Raghubar Das's government is committed to fight corruption, then the health minister should be sacked and an impartial probe should be ordered," Yadav added.

The Congress demanded Special Investigation Team be set up to probe the issue.

"BJP government in Jharkhand and in other states is involved in corrupt practices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has turned mute spectator which is emboldening others to do more corruption," Congress leader Alok Dubey told IANS.

According to media reports here, Satyendra Narayan Singh, the personal secretary of the state health minister, sought Rs.1 lakh from a doctor for revoking his suspension. The audio tape's text has been published in a section of local newspapers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) described the issue as "serious".

"The issue is serious and the health minister should take action against his personal secretary to give message to people and officials of the state and to maintain credibility of the department," Pradeep Sinha, Jharkhand BJP spokesperson, told IANS.