File photo of Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan (Press Trust of India Photo)
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has provoked a controversy by praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a government event in Bihar on Tuesday. The presence of a BJP leader at the same function has also been criticised.
The RSS is the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP, which took power in May.
Dr Harsh Vardhan was in Patna to declare Kala Azar a notifiable disease, which makes it mandatory for doctors or staff to report every case.
While speaking at a medical research institute where Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was also present, the union minister praised the RSS' role in the polio eradication programme.
"In 2002, I was working for WHO and a regional director expressed concern over rising cases of polio in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Someone had told him to ask for RSS help and he did. At that time, RSS chief K Sudarshan toured the states and asked cadre to help with the programme."
Unusually, among the invitees at the event was BJP's Bihar chief Sushil Modi, though the state health minister was not invited.
Harsh Vardhan urged his party colleague to enlist workers in the fight against Kala Azar.
"I appeal to Sushil Modi to get our party workers to help fight Kala Azar in Bihar. Then we can certainly overcome the disease," the minister said.