AHMEDABAD: A new controversy has erupted in Gujarat over the BJP's membership drive, with a viral video showing patients at Rajkot's Ranchoddas Bapu Charitable Trust eye hospital being woken up in the middle of the night and enrolled as BJP members after cataract surgeries.
Reports reveal that patients registered at Junagadh's Trimurti Hospital were brought to Rajkot for cataract surgeries on September 16. During the night, a person allegedly woke them up, collected OTPs, and enrolled them as BJP members.
Kamlesh Thummar, a patient from Junagadh, captured the incident on video and shared it with the media. Many patients only realized they had been made BJP members when they received confirmation messages.
"I went to Rajkot for cataract surgery last Sunday and fell asleep around 8 PM," alleged Kamlesh Thummar, who traveled from Junagadh for eye surgery.
"Around 10:30-11 PM, someone woke me up, asked for my mobile number, I think it was for the hospital. Before I knew it, he took my phone, mentioned an OTP, and when I got my phone back, I was a BJP member," said Thummar.
"When I asked him, 'Did you make me a BJP member?' he replied, 'There’s no other way.' This shouldn’t happen. Out of 400 people, around 200-250 became members — those with mobiles. This is a scam; people were forced into membership," Thummar claimed.
Shanti Wadoliya of Ranchoddas Charitable Trust stated, "Our trust brings patients from across Gujarat for free cataract surgeries. On October 16, we held a camp in Junagadh, organized by Dr Chikhalia at Trimurti Hospital. The patients were later brought to Rajkot for their procedures."
"This issue has just come to our attention, and an investigation is underway. If any trust member is found involved, strict action will be taken according to the rules," Wadoliya assured.
Rajkot city BJP president Mukesh Doshi stated, "I have ordered my zone secretary to investigate the entire matter, including identifying the person seen in the video. No one has been given instructions to wake up sleeping patients and make them members. Such overzealous actions will not be tolerated."
"All city BJP workers have exceeded their membership targets while staying within limits over the last 50 days. I strongly condemn this incident and assure a thorough investigation, considering it might be a conspiracy to defame the BJP," Doshi added.