Ram Mandir consecration: AIIMS Delhi rolls back its decision to work half-day on Jan 22 after backlash
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi has rolled back its decision to work only half the dayon Jan 22 on the occasion of the consecration ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Temple. The Outpatient Department (OPD) will now remain operational throughout Monday. Earlier, the AIIMS Delhi on Saturday (Jan 20) said it will observe a half-day on January 22.
The new circular issued Sunday (Jan 21) stated, “The outpatient department shall remain open to attend to patients with appointments in order to prevent any inconvenience to them." A statement issued by the hospital's Administrative Officer also said all critical services will remain functional.
Along with AIIMS, Lady Hardinge, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital have also reversed their decision and now will remain operational for the whole day.
The move comes after the decision by AIIMS was severely criticised by several opposition leaders, journalists and even Ram devotees on social media.
Watch:Ram Mandir Inauguration: Grand consecration ceremony in Ayodhya temple just a day away
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X, "Please don’t go into a medical emergency on 22, and if you do schedule it for post 2 pm since AIIMS Delhi is taking time off to welcome Maryada Purushottam Ram. However, I wonder if Lord Ram would agree that health services are disrupted to welcome him."
Similarly, Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale slammed the decision, saying that "people were sleeping outside in the cold at AIIMS gates waiting for an appointment".
"The poor and dying can wait because priority is given to Modi’s desperation for cameras and PR," he wrote on X.
Users on social media were hailing the AIIMS’s move to reverse its Saturday decision. “Let the good sense prevail,” a user wrote on X. “Service to people is service to God,” another commented.
(With inputs from agencies)