Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the Bengal chief minister is intending to unilaterally inaugurate six new Centre-sponsored medical colleges and hospitals, that are expected to be inaugurated by the PM.
The BJP in Bengal had earlier accused the TMC-led government of repackaging central welfare schemes in the state.
In a letter written to the PM on Friday, Adhikari claimed that the state’s health and family welfare department is circulating publicity material with information that suggests the inauguration of six new government medical colleges and hospitals by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on November 14.
The leader mentioned that 100 MBBS students are being admitted to each of the six institutions in the session 2022-23, adding 600 seats in the stream.
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Adhikari claimed that an amount of Rs 1,556.57 crore has been spent on the development of the six new institutions. “As you are well aware that the CSS or Centrally Sponsored Schemes are those schemes which are implemented by state governments but are largely funded by the central government,” he stated, adding that the major fraction of expenditure on the hospitals has been made by the Centre.
Mentioning that he has information that the PM is to inaugurate the hospitals, Adhikari added, “It’s my apprehension that before this could have happened, the CM decided to inaugurate these six new Centrally Sponsored Medical Colleges and Hospitals in order to claim credit for the development of these medical colleges and hospitals.”
The BJP leader has stated that the CM didn’t extend the invitation to the prime minister, or to the Union minister of health and family welfare for attending the inauguration ceremony, and this gesture reflects disregard for federal structure and cooperative federalism.
Adhikari stated that attempts at taking credit for projects have been made in the past as well, and mentioned a few instances.
“So I would kindly request you to direct officials whom you deem fit to intervene in this matter before such an untoward incident takes place and when the real inauguration ceremony of these medical colleges and hospitals happens on a later date it should not be marred by the well-planned controversy created by the state government,” he added.