Docs, ASHA workers upset being roped in for BJP work

Nagpur: “If Atal Arogya Shibir is a government initiative, why is Bhartiya Janta Party being highlighted and promoted in all its banners, hoardings and posters? If it is a BJP initiative, why are government machinery and resources being deployed,” asked Nagpur District Committee president of ASHA and Group Promoter Employees Union Rajendra Sathe.

While all promotional material for the mega health camp to be held on Sunday at Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth premises highlight BJP symbol and its party leaders, the organizers insist that it is a government endeavour.

“There have been talks among our circles about being mandated to volunteer for an event hosted by a political party, but none of us has dared to speak up. We are looking at it from the perspective of social service,” said a medical intern from Indira Gandhi Government Medical College.

Several other doctors TOI spoke to expressed their reservations but were not willing to be quoted.

Sathe claims that after he raised the issue with the officials, some banners of BJP were taken down from the site. “If any of us spot hoardings highlighting BJP on Sunday, we will withdraw from the camp en masse,” he added.

Even as 479 ASHA workers of municipal corporation were ordered to attend the camp on Sunday, Sathe demanded that they be paid a remuneration of Rs300, along with Rs100 for conveyance and lunch. The decision was communicated to NMC health officer Dr Narendra Bahirwar after which he proposed to pay a compensation of Rs150 along with providing lunch.

Earlier, teachers of private government aided schools also raised their voice against orders from Chief Minister’s Office regarding mandatory volunteering at the event. The orders were relaxed after the Private Primary Teachers Association President Pramod Rewatkar wrote a letter to CMO and pointing out that exams were under way in some schools and teachers were being forced to be present on their weekly holiday.

Defending the photos of party leaders on the banners, coordinator for the mega health camp Rameshwar Naik asked, “If the chief minister and the minister’s won’t represent the endeavour, who will.”

Naik added that the camp is a joint initiative of the state government, medical education department, a committee formed by the collector, several NGOs and private companies.

BJP city president Sudhakar Kohale and organizer of the camp Sandip Joshi remained unavailable for their comments.