Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi on Monday asked the State Government to provide Rs1 crore assistance, as he was promised earlier, for his robotic legs even as the veteran leader went under trial of the electronic legs for 15 minutes on Monday.
Notably, during 2004 general elections, Jogi suffered a pre-dawn life threatening road accident as his car dashed into a road side tree while he was returning from his election campaign at Gariyaband. In the accident, though Jogi won the battle of life, both his legs were paralysed.
Sources close to Jogi informed that it's an anxious yet exciting countdown for Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi, who is expecting to get rid of the wheelchair and become perhaps the first in India to walk with the help of robotic legs. As per Jogi, at the time of accident Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh had announced to bear the expenses of the treatment but the former refused to accept the same. Now, that robotic legs to be implanted on him have been imported at the cost of Rs90 lakh and expenses on doctors providing services will also run into lakhs, the former chief minister asked State’s BJP regime to give him Rs1 crore as the expenses incurred on his treatment.
Notably, trial of robotic legs was done on Jogi at his residence on Monday. Jogi reportedly walked for 10-15 minutes in a room at his bungalow in the presence of experts who came from New Zealand. The trial is likely to last for a week and from his ensuing birthday anniversary on April 29 he would be able to walk freely with the support of the robotic legs (e-legs).
After being able to walk freely the former chief minister expressed his wish to go to meet the people of his constituency, Marwahi, first and then visit various religious places of state like Ratanpur, Giroudpuri, lutrasharif and others.