The Congress Party on Tuesday staged protests against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) move to construct an AIIMS-like hospital in Kalyani in West Bengal instead of in Raiganj District as was originally planned.
Waving party flags and shouting anti-government slogans, Congress activists called for an immediate rollback of the proposal.
The previous Congress Government at the Centre had earlier given the go ahead for constructing the facility on 150 acres of land in Kalyani, while the demand for the setting up of a multi-facility health institute in Raiganj District was raised some years back.
The protesters said that if healthcare facilities were not provided in Raiganj, they would continue with the strike.
"The people of North Bengal will not tolerate this. We want the hospital to be in North Bengal," said Darjeeling District Congress Committee president Sankar Malakar.
Congress leader Deepa Dasmunsh accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee for creating hurdles in way of construction of the hospital in North Bengal.
