Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, along with all state BJP MPs, announced their decision to pursue legal action to implement the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the capital amid the AAP’s Convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal calling the scheme as a ‘major scam’.
The BJP leaders criticized the AAP government and claimed that they are denying healthcare access to the elderly and underprivileged by not implementing the scheme.
Addressing a press conference, Sachdeva stated, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s disappointment over the non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in Delhi and Bengal clearly shows that Kejriwal is depriving citizens of free healthcare purely for political reasons.”
He claimed that in 2021, Manish Sisodia pledged to implement the scheme, but three years later, nothing has been done. “While 6 crore people nationwide have benefited, Delhi remains deprived,” Sachdeva added.
Union Minister Harsh Malhotra called Ayushman Bharat a visionary scheme, with over 50 crore registrations and 6 crore beneficiaries and alleged that Kejriwal’s political rivalry with BJP is causing harm to Delhi’s citizens.
“The Supreme Court had criticized the condition of Delhi’s public hospitals, describing them as worse than slaughterhouses,” South Delhi BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri claimed. New Delhi BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj shared a case from September 2023, where a patient in need of a hip replacement had to approach the High Court for financial aid.
“The High Court’s lawyer revealed how poorly the Delhi Arogya Scheme functions, with patients being forced to run from pillar to post for assistance,” she remarked.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal called the scheme a ‘major scam’ and claimed that it is backed by the findings of a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, pointing out serious discrepancies against the BJP government’s scheme. “This is not merely his opinion, as the CAG report points to corruption within the scheme,” the AAP chief stated.
Retorting the statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Delhi government not implementing the scheme in Delhi, the AAP leader urged the Prime Minister to study Delhi’s healthcare model.
Citing a CAG report’s finding, Kejriwal claimed, “The CAG itself has reported multiple scams within the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The Ayushman scheme offers coverage up to Rs 5 lakh but only if you are hospitalized. In contrast, Delhi’s healthcare model ensures free treatment for all, whether for OPD or IPD services.”
The AAP Supremo asserted, “Every resident of Delhi, whether they have a simple cold or need hospitalization, receives all treatment, medication, and tests free of charge—no limits, no caps. In Delhi, whether it’s a five-rupee tablet or a treatment costing 50 lakh or even one crore rupees, everything is provided free of charge.”
Arvind Kejriwal called for an end to the segregating practices as central and state healthcare schemes and said, “Yesterday, I requested the Prime Minister to study Delhi’s healthcare model and consider implementing it across the nation. It’s not about whose scheme it is; it’s about ensuring quality healthcare for every citizen.”
“In Delhi, if someone requires surgery costing twenty lakh rupees, we cover it fully. If someone visits a Mohalla Clinic, their entire treatment is free. How can we even think of stopping such a system that brings affordable, effective healthcare to everyone?” he asked.
