Health Minister Says DMK, Congress Gave Wrong Information On AIIMS Madurai

Lok Sabha on Friday witnessed noisy scenes and a walk out by the DMK and Congress after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the opposition is giving "wrong information" about AIIMS Madurai as he took strong action against medical colleges which don't have faculty, infrastructure and patients.

Replying to a supplementary question on AIIMS Madurai, he said medical courses of the institute are going on while Rs 1,900 crore has been earmarked for constructing the infrastructure.

When the DMK members said the AIIMS Madurai is not ready, Mr Mandaviya accused them of giving wrong information to the House and misleading the people.

"Some people want to do politics on everything. I know why they are doing this as I have taken strong action against those medical colleges which don't have faculty, infrastructure and patients. This is the reaction to that," he asserted.

"Such illegalities will not be allowed by the Modi government. We will continue to take such strong action against delinquent medical colleges," he said amidst strong protests by the DMK and Congress MPs.

Some members of the ruling BJP also came out in support of Mr Mandaviya and raised their voice while standing at their seats.

A visibly agitated Dayanidhi Maran of the DMK said, "Who is he to talk like this". "He is blackmailing us, he is threatening us," he charged.

As the pandemonium continued for some time, Speaker Om Birla tried to calm down the agitating opposition members and said he would examine the statement made by the minister and see whether it is proper or not.

Unhappy with this, the DMK and Congress members staged a walkout from the House.

Earlier, the health minister said the Modi government has taken steps for expanding the medical education in the country so that students don't have to go abroad for studies.

He said in 2014, the total number of medical colleges in the country was 387 and now it has gone to 657.

The central government has relaxed the rules for setting up medical colleges which can be opened by state governments or private entities.

"In just one year in 2022, We have given approval for setting up 37 medical colleges while 89 applications are now being examined," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)