What’s the hurry to stay Max Hospital’s cancellation order, AAP asks Delhi’s LG

Days after the Delhi government revoked its license for falsely pronouncing a newborn as dead, Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh resumed its operations on Wednesday. The hospital said the operation was resumed after the Court of Finance Commissioner on Tuesday put on hold the government's December 8 order.

On November 30, the hospital had falsely declared one of the premature twins as dead. The baby died during treatment at a nursing home in Pitampura, a week later. Both the babies were handed over to the family allegedly in a polythene bag. The incident sparked outrage as well as a debate over the quality of private healthcare, which is often costly in the country.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday slammed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for his stay order on the state government's decision to cancel the licence of hospital after its doctors on November 30 declared a live baby dead.

AAP leader Dilip Pandey in a press conference alleged that the BJP, through LG’s office, was trying to help the Max Hospital by using the Finance Commissioner's office. He said the court had given the Lieutenant Governor all administrative powers of Delhi and he should be accountable.

The leader also said that the party doubted whether the appellate authority who stayed their government's decision "worked for the people or for crony capitalists".

“AAP fought elections with people's support hence AAP favored people against corporate hospital guilty of open loot & criminal negligence. BJP fights elections with corporate money, hence it is more than obvious that they would favor #MaxHospital,” wrote Pulkit, an AAP social media campaigner on Twitter.

AAP Delhi spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said in a press conference: “The appellate authority that has given this decision (stay on cancellation of license) works as representative of the LG. It exercises powers delegated by the Office of the LG. It is unfortunate that an authority which is not accountable to people has rejected the decision of an elected government.”

“Whenever AAP government takes a strong step in the interest of Delhi residents, LG and its delegated authorities give relief to the corrupt,” he alleged, adding that his party won’t allow high-handedness and loot of private hospitals.

He also accused BJP of influencing the office of LG to extend undue favour to the hospital.

The Lieutenant Governor's (LG) office, in a press statement, said the hospital licence was not before the LG but before the Court of Financial Commissioner. It also clarified that no officials from Max Hospital had met the LG or any officer from the Raj Niwas.

The stay on the license cancellation by the court of Finance Commissioner elicited strong reactions:

(With IANS inputs)