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Arvind Kejriwal calls Ayushman Bharat ‘biggest scam’ after SC stays Delhi HC order

Jan 17, 2025 04:53 PM IST

The Supreme Court stayed a Delhi HC order asking the Delhi government to sign a MoU with the Centre by January 5 to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday called the Ayushman Bharat health scheme the “biggest scam” in the country after the Supreme Court stayed a high court order that asked the Delhi government to sign an agreement with the Centre to implement it in the national capital.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal.(Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal.(Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI)

"I am happy that the Supreme Court has confirmed that it is a fake scheme. Ayushman Bharat is the biggest scam in the country. When the central government changes and an inquiry is conducted into these scams, people will realise how big a scam Ayushman Bharat truly was," PTI quoted Kejriwal as saying at a press conference.

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What Supreme Court said?

Earlier in the day, a top court bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih stayed an order asking the Delhi government to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Union health ministry by January 5 to implement the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).

According to a PTI report, the bench issued notices to the Centre and others seeking their responses on a plea filed by the Delhi government against the December 24, 2024 direction of the Delhi high court.

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Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, said the court should issue notice on the plea as the AAP government was forced to sign the MoU with the Central government.

"How can the high court force me (Delhi government) on a policy matter to sign an MoU with the Central government?" asked Singhvi.

The Delhi government's plea was filed through advocate Talha Abdul Rahman, PTI reported.

In its order passed on December 24 last year, the high court referred to the minutes of the meeting held in December 2024 and noted the PM-ABHIM would have to be implemented in its entirety to ensure Delhi residents were not deprived of the funds and facilities under it.

It said the non-implementation of PM-ABHIM in Delhi, when 33 states and union territories had already implemented it, would not be justified.

(With PTI inputs)

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