Guwahati, March 15: Amit Shah on March 15 alleged that the Indian National Congress had “pocketed” around ₹150 crore annually from the healthcare budget during its 15-year rule in Assam.
Speaking at a programme in Guwahati, Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for healthcare projects worth ₹2,092 crore in the state. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party government is committed to ensuring affordable healthcare for all sections of society.
The Union minister also praised Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and said Assam’s medical facilities are now comparable with those in states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
“Assam’s healthcare system was in shambles a decade ago as the Congress worked only for the financial health of leaders’ families,” Shah alleged.
He also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of defaming the country while opposing the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah further took a swipe at the Congress over its recent protest at an AI summit in New Delhi and Gandhi’s act of having “chai-pakora” on the stairs of Parliament.
“Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy and its stairs should not be used for protests. There are proper platforms for such demonstrations,” he said.
During the programme, Shah inaugurated the ₹675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital.
He also virtually inaugurated two cancer care centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation, each built at a cost of ₹135 crore.
In addition, Shah laid the foundation stones for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (₹220 crore), Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (₹310 crore) and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital (₹284 crore).
The foundation stones for a ₹218-crore Swasthya Bhawan and a ₹115-crore district hospital at Abhayapuri were also laid during the programme.
Shah arrived in Guwahati on Saturday evening on a two-day visit to Assam, marking his fourth visit to the northeastern state in the past four months.
