JAIPUR: Just a day after the Rajasthan budget unveiled a series of healthcare reforms, the Assembly witnessed a fierce confrontation over the implementation of the Right to Health (RTH) Act. Heated exchanges between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress on Thursday led to sloganeering, protests in the well of the House, and ultimately a walkout by Congress MLAs.
The uproar began during Question Hour when Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma raised concerns over the non-implementation of the Right to Health Act, initiated by the previous Congress government in the state. In response, Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar alleged that the Congress had introduced the Bill just before the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, allegedly for electoral gains, without consulting all stakeholders.
The minister added, sarcastically, that as people already receive free treatment under the “Ayushman Bharat–Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana (Maa Yojana),” a separate Right to Health law was unnecessary. His remarks triggered strong protests from opposition benches.
PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara intervened, leading to a heated exchange between treasury and opposition members. Congress MLAs moved into the well of the House, raising slogans against the government. As the commotion escalated, Speaker Vasudev Devnani warned that the House would be adjourned for the day if order was not restored.
Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully and MLA Harimohan Sharma demanded that the government clarify whether it intended to implement the Right to Health Act. In response, the Health Minister reiterated that comprehensive free treatment is already available under the Maa Yojana, making a separate law unnecessary.
Following the minister’s remarks, former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a sharp attack on the government. In a post on X, Gehlot described the statement as “condemnable” and accused the minister of “rubbing salt into the wounds” of poor and middle-class families struggling with rising medical expenses.
Gehlot noted that while universal healthcare schemes such as the Chiranjeevi Yojana and Nirogi Rajasthan Yojana were implemented during the Congress regime, the Right to Health Act was intended to ensure that no patient is denied emergency treatment under any circumstances. He alleged that the BJP government had failed to frame rules under the Act and was offering excuses to avoid its implementation.
The former Chief Minister further claimed that the people of Rajasthan were witnessing how the Congress government sought to shield them from expensive medical treatment by granting a legal Right to Health, whereas the present government was “surrendering to the medical lobby” and questioning the very need for such a right.
The issue is expected to remain a flashpoint between the ruling party and the opposition during the remainder of the budget session.