Urge Centre to give Padma Awards to all doctors whose names are nominated, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal. File Pic

The Delhi Assembly has passed a resolution recommending that Bharat Ratna be conferred on doctors of the country collectively.

The resolution also recommended doctors and paramedical staff in Delhi who have served during the Covid-19 pandemic be selected for the Padma Awards. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj introduced the resolution on the second day of the Monsoon Session.

Speaking on it, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that doctors served patients when their own families did not want to touch them. "The Delhi government has decided we will recommend names of only doctors and paramedic staff for Padma Awards. We have to recommend these names by September 15," he said. The city government made an announcement in this regard on July 27 and it has already received 2,100 nominations so far, Kejriwal said.

"We urge the Centre to give Padma Awards to all such doctors across the country and we also demand that Bharat Ratna be given collectively to India doctors," the chief minister said. "When Covid started, we made lodging arrangements for doctors in five-star hotels. We had also decided that all coronavirus-related orders will be passed in consultation with doctors. We received complete support from all hospitals and the medical fraternity," he said.

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The Delhi government had announced to provide Rs 1 cr to families of doctors who lost their life on duty due to the coronavirus and this boosted their morale, the chief minister said. "We have given Rs 1 crore ex-gratia in many cases. I personally went to give this money to these families," he said.

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