Darbhanga AIIMS row: PM's concept of development talks about invisible things, says Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday engaged in an war of words with Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya over the construction of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Darbhanga, a day after the latter claimed that the land provided by the state government for the premier medical institute was not suitable for construction.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Yadav posted, "Both the prime minister and the Union health minister are talking two different and contradictory things. While the PM is taking false credit for opening the AIIMS in Darbhanga, Mandaviya is saying land for construction of the institute has not been finalised yet. It's difficult to understand the PM's concept of development that talks about invisible things".

"The reality is totally different. I must clarify that the Bihar government allocated 151 acres to the Centre free of cost for the construction of the institute and sanctioned Rs 300 crore for land filling. But due to politics, the Centre did not clear the construction. The Union health minister should also keep in mind that prior to the formation of the Mahagathbandhan government in the state, health department portfolio in Bihar remained with the BJP for a long time. Mandaviya might be talking about the incompetence of his own party leaders of Bihar BJP", wrote Yadav.

The deputy CM further wrote, "We believe in true development...and that was the reason the state government decided to upgrade the old Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). The new super specialty hospital will have 2,500 beds and the total cost of the project is Rs 3,115 crore."

It may be recalled that during his virtual address to the Panchayati Raj Parishad in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday mentioned about the proposed hospital while underscoring that premier health centres were set up in all parts of the country to ensure that people did not have to travel long distances for medical treatment.

Yadav, however, termed PM's statement as 'blatant lie' (safed jhooth). No AIIMS has been opened in Darbhanga, Yadav said.