Rewari hospital row: Selja extends support to protesting villagers

The indefinite dharna staged by residents of Ramgarh-Bhagwanpur villages for the past 90 days gained momentum on Sunday when Sirsa MP and senior Congress leader Kumari Selja, accompanied by former Rewari MLA Chiranjeev Rao, visited the protest site to express solidarity with the villagers.

The protesters have been demanding that the proposed 200-bed hospital be set up in their village, which they claim is the most suitable location for the project. The state government has yet to finalise the site.

Speaking at the gathering, Kumari Selja urged the government to “open its eyes and ears” and work towards an amicable solution. She said villagers were compelled to abandon their daily livelihood to sit on an indefinite protest.

She accused the BJP government of neglecting the interests of every section of society, adding that farmers are on the warpath due to their worsening conditions, yet the government continues to turn a blind eye to their grievances.

Anil Kumar, coordinator of the Hospital Banao Sangharsh Samiti, said the dharna would continue until their demand is fulfilled. “We have already given our land to the state government for a development project, with the understanding that the hospital would be set up here in return,” he added.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Arti Singh Rao said administrative approval had been granted for the construction of 29 sub-health centres and one block public health unit in Rewari district.

“A total amount of Rs 16.21 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of these health institutions. Out of this, Rs 55.50 lakh will be spent on the construction of each Sub Health Center, while Rs 50 lakh has been allocated for the Block Public Health Unit at Dahina,” she added.

The Minister maintained that strengthening healthcare infrastructure at the rural level would ensure access to essential services in villages. “This will reduce the need for residents to travel to cities for minor treatments or diagnostic tests, as primary healthcare will be available locally,” she added.