Atal Mohalla to Mother Teresa: Jharkhand's move irks BJP

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government's renaming of Atal Mohalla Clinics, launched by the previous BJP government in the state, to Mother Teresa Advanced Health Clinics has irked the saffron party. BJP claimed that the move was a conspiracy to promote religious conversion in the state, PTI reported.

"Religious conversion is a major problem in the state. Now, a conspiracy is being hatched by the state government to accelerate it through the Mother Teresa clinic," Bauri alleged while addressing reporters at the party headquarters here.

Bauri, however, claimed that the BJP always respects Mother Teresa.

"Her spirit of service and her work for the poor and leprosy patients cannot be forgotten. The government of India has also honoured her with several prestigious awards. But, Hemant Soren's government should tell about her contribution towards Jharkhand," he added.

Bauri alleged that renaming is not for improving healthcare, but is a government-backed effort to promote religious conversion under the guise of healthcare.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) on Saturday burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren in protest against the renaming of Atal Mohalla Clinic as Mother Teresa Advanced Health Clinic.

The decision to rename the health scheme was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who heads a coalition government of the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance.

"The cabinet approved the proposal of changing the name of the Atal Mohalla Clinic scheme as Mother Teresa Advanced Health Clinic," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said.

Former CM Raghubar Das launched the scheme in August 2019 to address the lack of quality healthcare in urban slums in the state. As many as 140 Atal Mohalla Clinics are functioning in the state, providing free and primary healthcare services.