RANCHI: A video showing Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari’s son allegedly inspecting the government-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi has triggered a political storm in the state, with the BJP hitting out at the Hemant Soren-led dispensation.
In the 36-second video, which went viral on social media on Saturday, the minister’s son Krish Ansari can allegedly be heard asking patients and their attendants, “If you have any problem, please tell us, I will talk directly (to the minister),” sparking controversy across Jharkhand.
Krish did not stop there, he also allegedly visited a private hospital in Dhurwa, Paras Hospital, where he termed a patient’s bill as invalid, saying, “These charges are invalid.”
Interestingly, after inspecting the hospitals along with his friends, Krish uploaded the video on social media.
In the video posted on the social media account of the minister's son, several people are seen accompanying him. One of them can be heard asking the patients in the hospital ward, “If you have any problem, please tell him (Krish). The minister’s son has come… the elder son has come.”
Krish was also seen allegedly questioning doctors and hospital staff inside the wards.
The video reel was later deleted by the minister’s son from his social media account. However, the health minister dismissed the episode as “cheap politics by the opposition” and accused his rivals of unnecessarily dragging his son into the issue.
Despite the video going viral, neither the health department nor the government hospital concerned issued any clarification, with officials expressing ignorance about the incident.
When the controversy broke out, the minister issued a press release stating that his son Krish had neither gone to inspect any hospital nor intended to indulge in politics. He accused the opposition of misrepresenting facts and unnecessarily dragging his son’s name into the matter.
“He had only gone to RIMS to inquire about the health of his teacher’s ailing father,” said the minister.
The health minister also dismissed the criticism over his son’s hospital visit, stating that it was a humanitarian act and there was nothing wrong with offering help. He emphasised that his son did not harm anyone and instead showed kindness, which should be appreciated. Ansari further alleged that the BJP was politicising the matter unnecessarily and argued that helping others should be praised, not condemned.
“Jharkhand ke reel mantri ke putra bhi ab sarkari hospitalon ka reel banne mein lage hain (Jharkhand’s ‘reel’ minister’s son is now also busy making reels by inspecting govt hospitals),” BJP spokesperson Ajay Sah wrote on X.