Almora. Political differences over the proposed relocation of the district hospital have once again come to the fore, with Congress leader and councillor Gunjan Singh Chamyal alleging that an internal tussle within the BJP is now visible over who should take credit for stopping the proposed relocation.
Chamyal said that the public deserves to know who should actually be credited if the relocation of the district hospital has been stopped. According to him, one BJP leader claimed that the matter was resolved after meeting the minister personally, while another leader subsequently appeared to contradict that claim by stating that he had spoken to the minister over the phone regarding the issue.
He alleged that following these statements, several BJP leaders began approaching the minister individually, submitting letters and highlighting their own efforts. Chamyal further claimed that social media posts were being used by different leaders to publicise their respective roles in the matter.
The Congress leader questioned the apparent contradiction in the BJP’s position. He said that BJP leaders had earlier maintained that there was no official order to relocate the hospital and that the Congress was allegedly misleading the public on the issue.
“If there was no such order in the first place, Chamyal questioned, why are BJP leaders now visiting the minister and submitting letters seeking to stop the relocation?”
He said that the BJP should first clarify the factual position regarding the hospital. If no relocation order existed, the party should explain why its leaders are now claiming credit for preventing the relocation. On the other hand, if a relocation process was actually underway and has now been halted, the government and the BJP should clearly state when the decision was taken and who played a role in it.
Chamyal said the district hospital is an important healthcare institution for the people of Almora and that any decision concerning its future directly affects patients and the wider public. According to him, the issue should not become a competition for political credit.
He also questioned the growing number of social media posts in which different leaders are highlighting their individual contributions. He said that public interest should remain the primary concern rather than political publicity.
The Congress leader demanded that the BJP and the government make the official position regarding the district hospital public. The authorities, he said, should clarify whether a formal relocation order was issued, whether any relocation process had begun and what decision has now been taken regarding the hospital.
Chamyal said that people are less interested in political claims and more interested in knowing the final and official status of the district hospital. He maintained that if the relocation has genuinely been stopped, it would be a welcome development for the people of Almora, but the circumstances leading to the decision should also be made transparent.
He concluded by saying that the BJP should first clarify the entire sequence of events—from the circumstances that led to the discussion of relocation to the decision to stop it—before competing over who deserves credit for the outcome.
The statement has added another political dimension to the ongoing discussion surrounding the district hospital, with the Congress seeking greater clarity from the BJP and the government on the matter.
