NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing tussle between the bureaucratic and political wings of the Delhi government, minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday alleged that the Secretary (Health) had filed a “false” affidavit before the Delhi High Court without his knowledge.
The health minister said the shortage of doctors, specialists, and paramedics in hospitals was hidden from the high court, ignoring the cause of patients. Bharadwaj said a file, which was never presented to him, was shown as pending with the health minister, suggesting a deliberate conspiracy to entrap the cabinet minister.
Reacting to the development, the L-G secretariat dismissed the charges levelled by the health minister, saying it was “another misleading and false statement given by the minister, this time not only to mislead the people of Delhi but the judiciary as well.”
Speaking to press, Bharadwaj said the high court had constituted a committee and had ordered the Delhi government to augment its healthcare infrastructure according to the panels’s recommendations.
“An affidavit was presented before the Delhi High Court on behalf of the Health Department of Delhi in this regard, but despite being the health minister, neither was that affidavit shown to me nor was it approved by me,” he charged.
The health minister said he had repeatedly written to the chief secretary and the health secretary, informing them of the huge shortage of medicines in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla clinics. “Despite that, a false affidavit was presented before the high court, in which it was said that there was no shortage of medicines in Delhi government hospitals and Mohalla clinics.”
The minister said, both the Law Department and himself h ave stressed that if an affidavit is given to the high courts, Supreme Court or NGT on behalf of the department, it should be approved by the minister concerned because accountability lies with the minister. “Despite saying it many times, this affidavit was given to the Delhi High Court without my knowledge and approval,’ he said.
Stressing that the affidavit has not been approved by him but by the Health Secretary, he alleged that “the things written in this affidavit are lies, the truth is exactly the opposite”.
The L-G’s office said they will respond to the statements made by the health minister with substantive points.
