Delhi Assembly passes resolution urging Centre to give Bharat Ratna to 'Bharatiya' doctor

The Delhi Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution recommending that Bharat Ratna be conferred on doctors of the country collectively. The resolution also recommended that the city government nominate the names of only doctors and paramedical staff for the Padma Awards.

Opposition BJP supported the resolution but demanded that other 'corona (Covid) warriors' such as sanitation workers, teachers and policemen, be nominated for this award.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj introduced the resolution on the second and the last 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 Bahartiya (Indian) doctors," the chief minister said.

'Bharatiya Doctor' would be a collective term for all doctors, paramedics, nurses, ward boys and other medical staff that served people during the pandemic, Kejriwal said.

"Our doctors and paramedic staff put their lives on stake to serve the nation. Some doctors could not visit their homes for around six months and served humanity without caring for their families and themselves," he said.

In such a time, it is the duty of the entire society to give the utmost respect to the medical community, 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.

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 uplifted their morale. Perhaps, it is the only such government in the entire world that made such a provision, 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.