Congress MLAs Imran Khedawala and Gyasuddin Shaikh have stepped in to save VS Hospital and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the split of the existing hospital structure was announced, many citizens, trustees and the opposition party members have united to save it.

On Saturday, member of parliament from Jamalpur Imran Khedawala wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention in the issue of VS Hospital. Noticeably, municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra has announced the inauguration of the new hospital in the VS Hospital's campus by the prime minister himself on January 17.

In the letter, Kehdawala had mentioned that, in the name of change and reformation, the new hospital has been constructed within the VS Hospital campus. "Inauguration of the new hospital is going to be by you which is most welcomed, but the new infrastructure has taken shape at the cost of existing VS Hospital which is boon for many poor and deprived people," the letter says.

The new change raises many questions said Khedawala. "Isn't it a propaganda to shut the VS Hospital forever in the name of modernisation? Isn't it for the benefit of the middleman and kins of BJP leaders in the shifting? Can't a new hospital be erected without making any change in the existing hospital and structure?," asked Khedawal to PM in the letter. He requested PM Modi to keep the VS Hospital, its staff and infrastructure intact for the poor and deprived people, rather than reducing the services.

MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh said that the new move will be heavy on poor people's pocket. "Introducing private player for the new hospital and reducing medical services in VS Hospital is inhuman, and, is merely a political move" Shaikh said.

ONGOING ROW

• In the past 10 days, several protests and campaigns have been organised to save VS Hospital  
• The civic body lodges complaint against Congress members and MLAs, claims damage worth Rs 9 lakh to AMC’s property during protest