'Health minister is on holiday today, call tomorrow': Social worker gets shocking response

Mukesh Pandey

NewsBits.in

HARDA: A social worker tried to contact the state health minister to inform him about the situation in the city and neighbouring areas, when he got a bizarre response.

On repeated calls, the mobile number was not responding and was apparently switched off. Hence, he called up the office landline number and he was told that the minister is 'on leave today'.

Social worker, Shankey Jyotiraditya Upadhyay, who lives in Timarni, shared the information about his experience with the media and also provided the audio of the conversation with a person at the minister's office in Bhopal.

He expressed surprise that when health workers are fighting at the forefront, the minister who is in-charge of the entire department is 'on leave'! This also raises question mark over monitoring. Besides, there is a feeling of helplessness that if responsible people, especially, at the top switch off phones or go incommunicado, then it shows the approach.

Upadhyay said that he was trying to informt he minister ab out the situation on the ground and Oxygen arrangements, but Dr Prabhuram Chaudhary's mobile couldn't be contacted. And, later there was no response and when he tried to call minister's office, he was not available there and he was told to call next day, as minister was on leave.