In the wake of BJP’s grand victory in recently concluded state elections and ongoing transformation in Uttar Pradesh’s health infrastructure, Deputy Chief Minister & Cabinet Minister of Medical Education, Medical and Health and Family Welfare, Uttar Pradesh, Brajesh Pathak talked to Organiser Assistant Editor Ravi Mishra. He said that Uttar Pradesh is continuously enhancing its health infrastructure: Excerpt
Let me start with the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. How do you see this verdict before the 2024 General Elections?
Bharatiya Janata Party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has successfully implemented various schemes for the welfare of the people. And blessings of the people are with BJP. Victory in these three states has demonstrated that the Opposition does not have any plan or agenda for the development of ordinary men and poor people.
What is the difference between the BJP and other parties that it keeps winning elections after elections?
Bharatiya Janata Party has become the world’s most prominent political party in the world. And the way the party volunteers have briefed the schemes and plans of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people’s faith in the BJP has only grown.
You are now the Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and working with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. What would you say about his working style?
Again, I will say, we have successfully implemented all the schemes of the Union Government on the ground. And people’s support for BJP in Uttar Pradesh is only increasing.
The governance of Uttar Pradesh has been remarkable, especially when it comes to controlling law and order. How did this become possible?
Whenever the Bharatiya Janata Party has been in the Government, whether it was Kalyan Singhji’s or the present Yogiji Government, the BJP has Zero tolerance for corruption and crime.
We don’t see communal riots like situation in UP, which used to happen on a regular basis earlier.
I already told you that we have zero tolerance for crime. We had the same policy under Kalyan Singhji’s Government.
Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Govt banned Halal certification. Your comment on this.
We will not allow anything illegal in the state, and nobody has the right to do so.
You are also the Health Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Please brief us on the various initiatives taken by the State government.
At present, medical services in Uttar Pradesh are excellent. We are building medical colleges in every district. A significant number of people now visit government hospitals for treatment. One Lakh seventy thousand patients from the state visit government hospitals every day. Twelve thousand of them are those who are suffering from serious diseases. Five thousand operations are conducted freely every day. Uttar Pradesh has become the number one state by making the highest number of Ayushman Bharat cards, which is the most ambitious scheme of the Narendra Modi government. We are the number one state in finding those suffering from Tuberculosis. We have succeeded in providing good health services to the people.
Earlier conditions of Government hospitals were deplorable. As a result, people were forced to visit Private hospitals.
Now, people’s faith in government hospitals and doctors has increased. We are working more on modernisation.
Can you provide some data on the health infrastructure? I mean the construction of new medical colleges and hospitals.
We are constructing medical colleges in every district. There are sixteen districts where construction work is still going on. Thirty-five Government medical colleges and Thirty private medical colleges have been built. We are planning to construct a hundred-bed critical care unit in all seventy-five districts. We have established twenty-five thousand new health centres. By appointing Community health officers (CHOs), we are providing the best medical services to people living in villages.
Sri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22, 2024. What would you like to say on this?
Volunteers are eagerly waiting for January 22, when Grand Sri Ram temple will be inaugurated on this day before the people and the world. This century-old resistance to establishing the temple of Bhagwan Ram became possible under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Do you think that the Opposition will still do politics over the Mandir issue?
You already know that this case was in court, and the Congress Government deliberately created problems from time to time. Construction of the Sri Ram Mandir started after the court’s verdict, which the people and the world have accepted. Now, a grand Sri Ram Mandir is almost ready.
How many seats will BJP win in the 2024 General elections from Uttar Pradesh?
We are going to win all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. We have people’s support.
You worked with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for years, and now you are in the BJP. What makes both parties different when it comes to their working style?
BJP is like a family. Here, we work by cooperating with each other.
What would you say about I.N.D.I. Alliance formed by opposition?
This is the alliance of power-greedy people whom the voters have already rejected.
