AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday accused the Ayushman Bharat health scheme of being the ‘biggest scam’ in the country, following the Supreme Court’s decision to stay a Delhi High Court ruling. The high court had previously ordered the Delhi government to sign an agreement with the Centre to implement the scheme in the capital.
During a press conference where Kejriwal announced AAP’s promise of free bus rides for students, including male students, and a 50 percent discount on metro rides, he took a strong stance against the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
“I am glad the Supreme Court has confirmed that Ayushman Bharat is a fake scheme. It is the biggest scam in the country. When the central government changes and an inquiry is conducted, people will realize just how massive this scam truly is,” Kejriwal said, responding to questions about the Supreme Court’s decision.
Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court’s December 24 order, which had instructed the Delhi government to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Union Health Ministry by January 5. This MOU was meant to implement the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) in Delhi.
The Delhi government has been in conflict with the Centre over the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which has already been rolled out in 33 states and union territories across the country.
The Delhi High Court had emphasized that the PM-ABHIM must be implemented fully in Delhi to ensure that the residents have access to the health funds and facilities associated with the scheme. In response, the AAP government had approached the Supreme Court to challenge the high court’s order.
With inputs from PTI.