State Health Minister Banna Gupta on Sunday boycotted the mega health camp organized in Khunti on alleged charges that proper protocol was not followed at the function. Gupta boycotted the function when he came to know that neither the Chief Minister was invited at the function nor his photos were put up at the official function. Gupta was in Circuit House, Khunti when he came to know that the large hoarding put behind the main dais has pictures of Governor Ramesh Bais, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, Health Minister (Gupta), Khunti MLA Neelkanth Singh Munda, Torpa MLA Koche Singh Munda and Tamar MLA Vikash Singh Munda.
Gupta alleged that mega health despite being a government function was saffronize. The day-long event was organized by ministry of tribal affairs and district administration. He said, “It appears that entire event is organsies by BJP. Health department will not be part of such politics.” He further said that central government is doing politics on health, which is against the federal structure. The resources of both the Center and the state are engaged in the health camp, so not calling the Chief Minister is an insult to them. The Health Minister also held the Deputy Commissioner of Khunti responsible for not calling the Chief Minister. He said that the Deputy Commissioner should have taken the initiative for this. The minister also called up Arun Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department and asked whether the Chief Minister was called in this or not.
Asked how he came to know that the Chief Minister's photograph was not displayed on the stage, the Health Minister said he was informed about it at the Circuit House and some people even showed him the photograph of the stage. He then decided to boycott the program.
Not only Health Minister, but even Tamar MLA Vikash Singh Munda failed to turn up at the event. Vikash Munda in JMM MLA from Tamar, while two other MLAs Neelkanth Singh Munda and Koche Munda who had pictures at hoarding are BJP MLAs.
A mega tribal health camp was organized in Khunti which was attended by around 50000 people. Around 200 doctors participated in the programme to provide free medical consultation to visitors.
The health camp named Abua Bugin Swasthya Nawa Pahal Swasthya Mela is a joint initiative of the Tribal Affairs ministry and the district administration.
This is not for the first time that Centre and state have loggerheads over such issue as both have differences over taking credit over different government schemes too.