Rahul Gandhi Slams Centre and Delhi Govt Over AIIMS Patients' Struggles
Team Finance Saathi
18/Jan/2025

What's covered under the Article:
- Rahul Gandhi targets the government over the plight of patients outside AIIMS, Delhi, ahead of Delhi Assembly Elections.
- Gandhi expresses anger over the suffering of patients and their families forced to live on footpaths in harsh conditions.
- The Congress leader’s comments intensify his critique of the government’s healthcare policies, focusing on the AIIMS situation.
Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Congress Party, has once again targeted the Centre and Delhi government for their apparent negligence regarding the difficult conditions faced by patients outside the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. In a heartfelt video shared on X, Gandhi can be seen visiting the patients and their families, many of whom had traveled from states like Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar in search of medical care unavailable in their regions. The video paints a grim picture of the situation where patients and their families are seen forced to sleep on the roads, footpaths, and even subways, with little to no shelter from the harsh winter cold.
Rahul Gandhi's Criticism
In the video, Rahul Gandhi is visibly outraged by the injustice and apathy shown towards these individuals. He is heard stating, “This is completely ridiculous that people are here. They are suffering, they are dying, and they are being thrown out of where they are staying and they don’t have any place to stay.” His frustration underscores the desperate plight of the patients, many of whom are dealing with life-threatening conditions, including heart diseases and cancer, yet are unable to find a proper place to stay while undergoing treatment.
Gandhi’s anger intensifies as he describes the lack of basic amenities available to the patients—no shelter, food, clean water, or even toilets. In a post shared with the video, he emphasized the squalid conditions outside AIIMS, calling it a “hell outside AIIMS.” Gandhi's direct attack on both the Centre and Delhi governments comes in the context of their failure to address the humanitarian crisis faced by these patients.
The Congress leader also shared the heart-wrenching stories of some patients who have been living in the open for months, desperate for proper medical care. His comments highlight how the lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure and support services is affecting the lives of ordinary citizens who have already been through significant suffering due to their ailments.
"Mazak Chal Raha Hai"
In an emotional outburst, Rahul Gandhi criticized the situation as “Mazak chal raha hai (Is this a joke).” His words reflect a deep sense of disappointment and disillusionment with the government’s failure to provide even basic humanitarian assistance to the people who need it most. Gandhi’s remarks resonate particularly with those who have seen firsthand the struggles of families who have been living in despair outside AIIMS for months.
This video and the subsequent comments come ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, with Gandhi making a strong push to highlight the inefficiencies of the current government, both at the Centre and within the Delhi government. His remarks are part of a broader critique aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, with whom Gandhi has had several political confrontations recently.
Political Implications
Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the AIIMS situation is not just about healthcare but also an opportunity to highlight the broken promises of both the Central government and the Delhi government. Just days earlier, Gandhi had compared Arvind Kejriwal to Prime Minister Modi, accusing both of misleading the public with their false promises and failing to deliver real results. This episode outside AIIMS highlights the tangible consequences of these broken promises, with vulnerable citizens paying the price in the form of avoidable suffering.
Call for Immediate Action
The video and Gandhi’s statements have raised important questions about the quality of healthcare services available in the country, particularly for those who cannot afford private care. AIIMS, being one of India’s most prestigious medical institutions, is expected to provide world-class treatment, but the fact that many patients are forced to endure such conditions outside its gates reflects a systemic issue that needs urgent attention.
Gandhi's words, as shared in the video, echo the sentiment of many citizens who feel left behind by the system. His push for accountability from both the Centre and the Delhi government is likely to become a central theme in the lead-up to the 2025 elections, with voter dissatisfaction over healthcare and governance failures likely to influence political discourse.
As the situation outside AIIMS continues to unfold, Rahul Gandhi's remarks have shone a light on the human cost of India’s healthcare system's shortcomings. The Congress leader has called for immediate action to address these issues, ensuring that every citizen—regardless of their economic status or geographical location—receives the care and attention they deserve.