After Himbumail Exposé, BJP Targets Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Govt Over ‘Move to Kill’ 100-Year-Old Maternity Hospital. It Vyastha Vinash.
Shimla, April 12:
In the wake of a Himbumail exposé, the BJP has launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led government, alleging a “systematic attempt to finish” the century-old Kamla Nehru Hospital—a state-level lifeline dedicated to mothers and newborns—under the guise of shifting it to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC).
BJP spokesperson Sandeepani Bhardwaj termed the move “not reform, but destruction of the health system,” claiming the government is quietly dismantling a 300-bed specialised institution that has served the state for over 100 years.
He alleged that the proposed shift—reportedly beginning April 16—is being pushed through without any formal notification.
“Oral orders are being issued, but there is no official document. This is not governance, it is arbitrariness,” Bhardwaj said, adding that doctors, nurses and staff have opposed the move.
Raising serious concerns over infrastructure, the BJP leader said IGMC is already operating beyond capacity. “Forcing a 300-bed maternity hospital into an overcrowded facility will endanger lives. There are even reports of services being pushed near a drain area—this is not just mismanagement, it is inhuman,” he alleged.
Bhardwaj also flagged the financial angle, stating that over ₹20 crore had already been spent on upgrading Kamla Nehru Hospital. “Now the entire system is being scrapped. This is a betrayal of public money and public health,” he said, questioning whether the hospital land was being eyed for alternative uses, including an MLA hostel.
He further argued that the existing location of Kamla Nehru Hospital is more suitable for maternal and neonatal care, while IGMC’s colder conditions could pose risks to newborns. “This decision is not based on medical science, but political pressure,” he claimed.
The BJP warned of intensifying protests, with Bhardwaj saying that doctors, civil society groups and citizens are preparing to take to the streets and may also approach the courts.
“This is not ‘vyavastha parivartan’ (system change), but ‘vyavastha vinash’ (system destruction),” he said, adding that the BJP would oppose the move “from the streets to the courts” to protect patients’ rights.
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