Chandigarh: Punjab AAP MLA Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose launched a scathing attack on his own government over the poor state of health facilities in Moga, questioning the alleged “step-motherly” treatment of the district. His sharp criticism came during the Budget session in the Assembly after Health Minister Balbir Singh announced that no new health projects were planned for Moga, PTI reported.
“Why is there discrimination against Moga? I feel like we are living in Pakistan,” the Dharamkot MLA asserted, expressing his frustration over the lack of healthcare development in the district.
Dhose’s outburst followed the Health Minister’s statement that the government had no plans to upgrade the Dharamkot primary health centre into a hospital or set up a trauma centre in the area. The minister added that Punjab already has five functioning trauma centres in Jalandhar, Pathankot, Khanna, Ferozepur, and Fazilka.
Visibly irate, Dhose argued that Dharamkot was a backward area and criticized the government for failing to allocate a single health-related project for his constituency. He also highlighted the dire shortage of medical personnel, citing the Kot Ise Khan community health centre, where only two out of eight doctor positions were filled.
“We are also residents of Punjab, and our district is Moga. Step-motherly treatment has been meted out to Moga. Earlier, 300 specialist doctors were recruited, and of them, only four doctors were given to Moga. Now, out of 255 MBBS doctors, only four have been assigned to Moga. Malerkotla, a smaller district, has been allotted 28 MBBS doctors,” Dhose said, as quoted by PTI.
In response, the Health Minister defended the government’s position, stating that Moga already has a district hospital. He explained that sub-divisional hospitals are only established in districts with a population exceeding 10 lakh, which Moga does not meet.
BJP, Congress Attack AAP Government
Dhose’s remarks have fueled opposition attacks against the AAP government in Punjab, which faces assembly elections next year. BJP MP Rekha Sharma criticized the ruling party, saying its days in Punjab were numbered.
“If they feel like Pakistan while staying here, then it is better that they should go to Pakistan. They are not going to form the government next time, so it is better that they do their politics in Pakistan,” Sharma remarked.
Punjab Youth Congress chief Mohit Mohindra also seized the opportunity to target AAP, stating that the party that had won the 2021 Punjab polls by “selling dreams of healthcare reform” had now left even its own leaders disillusioned.
“AAP’s own MLA has exposed the reality of their so-called ‘health model’. Two more AAP MLAs have also admitted that not a single health project has been initiated in their constituencies,” Mohindra said.
As the controversy escalates, the AAP government faces mounting pressure to address concerns over the state’s healthcare infrastructure and allegations of favoritism in medical resource allocation.
