Raj CM Gehlot says centre must enact Right to Health law, cites his own state's insurance scheme

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said a Right to Health law should be enacted by the central government, citing the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance scheme of his government to provide affordable healthcare to citizens.

"The country should have a Right to Health law. Just like the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre brought the Right to Education Act, a law should be enacted by the central government now," Gehlot said at a press conference in Alwar during the morning break of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Referring to the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance scheme of his government under which health insurance of Rs 10 lakh is given, Gehlot said that this scheme should be implemented across the country.

He also said that a law should also be made in parliament for ensuring that no one sleeps empty stomach.

The chief minister said he would introduce a scheme for the welfare of drivers and delivery executives working app-based services like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, and Zomato in the state budget.

Gehlot said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had talked about the plight of such workers and they should also be provided social security.

The CM alleged that the Bharat Jodo Yatra was receiving overwhelming response from people due to which the BJP leaders are worried.

"The yatra has shaken the NDA government. PM Modi and (Home Minister) Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are worried therefore, pressure is being mounted on the media for not giving coverage to the yatra,” he said.

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the yatra was very successful in Rajasthan. The yatra will enter Haryana on Wednesday after covering nearly 485 kms in Rajasthan.

Ramesh informed that the yatra will take a break of nine days during which the yatris who are from other states will go to their home and the containers running with the yatra will go for maintenance work.

Gandhi and others will reach Delhi for the break on the night of December 24. When the yatra resumes after the break, it will cover Uttar Pradesh, Haryana (phase-II), Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, the yatra resumed from Kati Ghati Park in Alwar and had the morning break at Lohia Ka Tijara.

Former chief minister of Punjab Charanjit Channi also took part in the yatra in the morning, according to a party spokesperson.