Senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday alleged that the Secretary of Health Department submitted an affidavit, containing false information, in the High court without his knowledge.
He claimed that this was done with help of the standing counsel from the ‘Services’ Department under the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. “Why the lawyer under the LG would assist in such actions?” he asked, adding that the affidavit was submitted via the services department.
Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj alleged a huge conspiracy and said he would write to the law department on the issue. The Delhi High Court is hearing a petition regarding ICU beds in hospitals. A committee has been formed under Dr Sarin to suggest ways to improve health facilities in Delhi.
"On May 24, the court asked about the steps taken by the government on the recommendations of the Sarin committee. To my surprise, the health department submitted an affidavit without even my knowledge," he charged.
The Delhi Health Minister highlighted that the shortage of doctors, specialists, paramedics, and medicines in hospitals was hidden from the High Court to trouble patients. “A file, which was never presented, was shown as pending with the Health Minister, suggesting a deliberate conspiracy to trap the Health Minister,” Bharadwaj claimed.
Stating that he has informed the Delhi High Court in his affidavit that the primary problems in Delhi hospitals are being deliberately hidden, Bharadwaj claimed that only the secondary problems are being presented before the High Court. “I told the Delhi High Court through my affidavit that the biggest reason behind the major problems related to ICU and operation theaters in Delhi hospitals is the acute shortage of doctors, specialists, paramedical staff and technicians in the hospitals,” he said.
Bharadwaj shared that the affidavit was given to the Delhi High Court without my knowledge and without approval. “Suddenly, Delhi Government's lawyer Satyakam was removed and this affidavit was given to the High Court by the Standing Council of the ‘Services’ Department,” the Delhi Minister revealed.
"I have been writing letters and sending data for months to the chief secretary about the huge shortage of medicines at hospitals and Mohalla Clinics. Despite this, they gave an affidavit approved by the health secretary in the high court that all the medicines were available," he charged, adding that this is a conspiracy to submit lies in the court so that it makes an adverse observation.
"I am writing to the law department for strict action against the health secretary for submitting wrong facts and misleading the court," he added.
Meanwhile, officials of the Raj Niwas has said that this is yet another misleading and false statement made by Bharadwaj. “This time to not only mislead the people of Delhi but the Judiciary as well. This Secretariat will react substantively to statements made by Health Minister where substantive points are raised, not to inanities of the Press Conference Minister,” a senior official said.