Gambhir lauds LG for quashing Delhi CM's 'idiotic order' of reserving beds for Delhiites

BJP MP Gautam Gambhir, on Monday, appreciated New Delhi's Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal for overruling Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's orders on reserving hospitals in the national capital for Delhiites only and allowing COVID-19 test of only symptomatic patients. On Monday, the LG on Monday passed an order directing authorities to ensure that “treatment is not denied to any patient”.

READ: LG's Overruling Of COVID-19 Order Has Created Major Problem For Delhiites: Kejriwal

'Have to fight this pandemic together'

Gambhir in a tweet called the Aam Aadmi Party government's move 'idiotic' and said that the country was 'one' and had to fight the pandemic together.

READ: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Wishes Delhi Counterpart Kejriwal A Speedy Recovery

Delhi LG overrules Kejriwal's testing policy changes

Earlier in the day, the former Union Home Secretary under the Vajpayee lead-NDA government, Baijal overruled the Delhi government's order to reserve government hospitals for Delhi residents. In his capacity as the Delhi Disaster Management Authority Chairman, Baijal directed all departments and authorities to ensure that treatment is not denied to any patient regardless of his place of residence. 

In his order, the lieutenant governor made it clear that the Supreme Court has invariably held in several successive judgments that 'Right to Health' is an integral part of 'Right to Life' under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The LG said all government, private hospitals and nursing homes and clinics in the national capital have to extend medical facilities to all COVID-19 patients without any discrimination of being resident or non-resident of Delhi.

"In exercise of powers conferred under Section 18(3) of the Disaster Management Act, the undersigned in his capacity as the Chairperson of the DDMA, hereby directs all departments and authorities concerned of NCT of Delhi, to ensure that monitoring/treatment is not denied to any patient on the ground of not being a resident of NCT of Delhi," he said in his order.

READ: 'Delhi Government Hospitals Reserved For Residents Only', Announces CM Kejriwal

The treatment of patients has now turned into a full blown political issue, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claiming that the BJP was playing "dirty politics" in Delhi and "spreading disaster" in the name of disaster management.

"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 Delhi can get treated," Sisodia told reporters.

READ: Delhi LG Overrules Kejriwal's Testing Policy Changes, Orders To Test Asymptomatic Contacts

(Image credits: PTI)