Ladakh: Renaming Govt Health Centres ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’ Invites Backlash

Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union federal government’s transfer to relabel the health centres as “Ayushman Arogya Mandirs” has actually stirred an intense debate in Ladakh, with the area’s most prominent Buddhist organisation and chosen agents calling this an affront to the beliefs of individuals residing in the two-district Union Territory. Choice, debate In November in 2015, the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare chose to relabel the Ayushman Bharat- Health & Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’ with the punch line ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’. The ministry composed to the states and Union Territories in a letter dated November 25, 2023 to execute the rebranding workout and asked to send pictures of these health centers with the brand-new title by December 31, 2023. It even allocated Rs 3,000 per center for this rebranding workout. The execution of the choice has actually not gone down well in Ladakh, particularly in Buddhist-majority Leh district, where a popular spiritual group has actually taken strong objection to it and composed to the chosen bodies of the area to raise their issues with the administration of the Union Territory over the matter. “The current order of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, relabeling the Govt. medical help centers/ health and household well-being centers as “Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ is regrettable and identical to having fun with the beliefs of individuals of Ladakh,” Chering Dorjey Lakrook, acting president, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) composed to the president councilors of the Hill Councils of both Leh and Kargil districts. The LBA has actually asked heads of both the chosen bodies to get the choice rescinded. “India is a nonreligious nation and utilizing spiritual names and signs in federal government departments is unconstitutional and undesirable,” Dorjay stated, in the letter. Talking with The Wire, Dorjay, who was likewise a minister in individuals’s Democratic Party-BJP federal government in the erstwhile state of J&K, stated that this choice is not appropriate to them. “It is a conspiracy versus us. What is the enjoyable of calling health centers as mandirs? It is among the actions towards making India a Hindu rashtra,” he declared. The LBA is the most effective spiritual group in Buddhist-dominated Leh and is viewed as the guardian of Buddhist identity in the area. It has substantial impact on social and political matters of the area. Rebranded health centres in Ladakh. P
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