Mamata Banerjee ridicules Ayushman scheme

Kolkata: Ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s medical insurance scheme: Ayushman Bharat, Trinamul Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday asked him to make himself “Ayushman” first. She asserted that the Central project would, however, cease to exist after the Lok Sabha elections while terming Mr Modi as a “fake Chowkidar”, who has not earned her respect. The West Bengal chief minister also accused him of not undertaking any development in North Bengal.

“Ask him. Ahead of the elections when he has no power, he declared that he would implement Ayushman! What Ayushman? First, make yourself Ayushman and then implement it,” the West Bengal chief minister said while addressing an election campaign rally in Siliguri where the PM branded her as “speed breaker” for not allowing the welfare project in the state.

Ms Banerjee also described Ayushman Bharat as Mr Modi’s publicity stunt before the polls.

“How can it be? While he will go around for publicity, we have to pay 24 per cent of the cost? And that (the scheme) too will not be available to anyone. After the polls, it will disappear. So I have told them that I do not need their alms,” she told the rally at Naxalbari in an apparent attempt to justify why she barred the scheme in the state. Lambasting the PM, Ms Banerjee alleged, “Modi Babu lies. Chowkidar is fake. We respect the real Chowkidar, not the fake one.”

The Trinamul chief predicted that if the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA would win the polls, the people would lose their bank deposits. “You were told that each of you would be given `15 lakhs. Now everything is gone. If they come to power again, your deposits in bank accounts will disappear. Nothing will be left then. You will have to protect your honour and rights,” she said.