Baijal cites SC rulings; Kejriwal says LG order will trouble Delhi residents; Sisodia alleges it’s Covid politics to fail city Govt
In a major development, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal on Monday overruled the two controversial orders of the AAP Government — to reserve Delhi Government-run and private hospitals in the national Capital for only Delhiites, and allowing Covid-19 test of only symptomatic patients — terming that the City Government order were in contravention of the “Right to Life” under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The move may trigger a confrontation between the AAP dispensation and the LG office.
Baijal, who is also Chairman of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), said all Government, private hospitals and nursing homes and clinics situated in Delhi have to extend medical facilities to all Covid-19 patients coming for monitoring and treatment without any discrimination of being resident or non-resident of Delhi. He also cited the Supreme Court judgements in this regard.
The LG also directed all the departments of the Delhi Government and other authorities concerned to strictly observe the strategy prescribed by Indian Council of Medical Research for Covid-19 testing in India without any deviation.
“In order to contain the spread of Covid-19, it is essential to conduct a thorough contact tracing of affected persons, especially in containment zones and as such, the ICMR strategy for Covid-19 testing should be followed without any deviation,” said the order issued by the LG.
Reacting to the LG order, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the order overruling AAP Government’s decision to reserve State-run and private hospitals for Delhiites has created a major problem and challenge for the residents of the city. “May be God wants us to serve the people of the whole country. We will try to provide treatment to all,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, “The BJP pressurised the Lieutenant Governor and made him overrule our decision, now priority will not be given to Delhi residents in Delhi hospitals. Why is the BJP doing politics over Covid-19 and trying to fail the policies of the State Government.”
Sisodia said, “Yesterday, we decided that Delhi Government and private hospitals will be reserved only for people of Delhi for Covid-19 treatment. This was very necessary in view of the Covid disaster and it was a well thought decision so that if cases rise, people in the national Capital can get treated.