Hospital row: Rewari villagers give 5-day ultimatum to MLA

The row over the proposed 200-bed district hospital in Rewari escalated on Sunday as residents of Ramgarh-Bhagwanpur staged a protest march in the city, demanding that the facility be constructed in their village.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to BJP MLA Laxman Singh Yadav, urging him to take up their demand with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. They also issued him a five-day deadline to clarify his stance, warning that the protest would be taken to the next level if he failed to do so.

Villagers voiced anger at the MLA’s absence from the dharna site, where an indefinite sit-in has been underway for nearly three months.

Responding to the protesters, MLA Yadav said he would convey their demand to the CM, but stressed that the government’s decision would depend on feasibility and suitability. “The hospital is intended to serve both urban and rural populations across the district,” he said.

At the dharna site earlier in the day, villagers strategised on ways to intensify their agitation. Later, a group of protesters, including women, marched to the MLA’s residence to hand over the memorandum.

Anil Kumar, leader of the Hospital Banao Sangharsh Samiti, lashed out at Yadav’s silence. “In the Vidhan Sabha, MLA Laxman Yadav had himself raised the matter of shifting the Rewari Civil Hospital from its current low-lying and congested location. But now, he has gone silent, and people are disappointed. Everyone is waiting for him to join the protest, but he hasn’t come yet,” he said.

He argued that Ramgarh-Bhagwanpur’s Panchayati land is ideal for the new hospital. “It is adjacent to NH-71, well-connected, close to urban areas and near the proposed bus stand. This site meets all the necessary criteria. So why not build the hospital here?” he questioned.

Rajendra Singh, another protester, said: “Since the project is to be implemented within the Rewari Assembly constituency, the MLA should make his position clear. That’s why we have given him a five-day time to visit the dharna site and clarify his stance.”