CM claims queues due to patients from other states, Tiwari charges him of humiliating outsiders

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Monday accused Arvind Kejriwal of "humiliating" people from Bihar and other states, a day after the chief minister claimed that the influx of patients from other states was the reason behind long queues at government hospitals in the city.

Tiwari said if a person from Bihar or any other state gets treatment in Delhi, why does it pain Arvind Kejriwal.

He has shown his "hatred" once again, Tiwari told reporters.

Laying the foundation stone of a new 362-bed trauma centre at the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on Sunday, the chief minister had claimed that patients from other states were a "big reason" behind long queues at government hospitals in the city.

He had termed the healthcare system of his government as "unmatched" and had said medicine and treatment were free of cost, which attracted people from other states.

"Now, it so happens that a person from Bihar buys a (travel) ticket of Rs 500, reaches Delhi, gets free of cost operation worth Rs 5 lakh and returns back. It gives joy that they are people of the country and they should get the treatment and be happy. But, Delhi has its capacity, how can it treat everyone in the country," Kejriwal had said.

"If Kejriwal has any personal and political enmity with me, he may say anything directly. Why humiliate people from Bihar, UP and other states by flaunting health services of his government," Tiwari told PTI.

Last week, Kejriwal had taken a dig at Tiwari saying he would be the first to be evicted from Delhi if the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is implemented in the national capital. Tiwari has been demanding NRC for Delhi to expel 'foreigners' living illegally in the city.

"Kejriwal is bewildered since he is not getting support of people for the forthcoming Assembly elections. So, he is targeting me to humiliate Purvanchalis, Biharis and others living in Delhi," said Tiwari, who hails from Bihar.

The Delhi BJP president said that it was beyond comprehension why Kejriwal was opposing the people coming from other states who come to Delhi for treatment.

"Prime Minister Modi has given the facility for free of cost treatment to people worth Rs 5 lakh through Ayushman Bharat scheme. This scheme has not been implemented by Kejriwal in Delhi, so what is his problem," Tiwari said.

The Delhi people, including those from Bihar, UP and other states will teach a lesson to Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for his "irressponsible and humiliating" statements, in the upcoming Assembly elections, he added.