Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been facing incessant criticism for promoting VVIP culture after the Delhi government ordered a five-star hotel in India’s national capital to convert 100 rooms into COVID Health facility after the Delhi High Court requested beds for itself. This left netizens seething since tens of thousands of people have died across India in the absence of access to a basic healthcare system. Many found the order by the Kejriwal government in poor taste since hundreds of thousands of COVID patients have been forced to struggle to get a bed even in a government hospital.
“That’s the worst example of VVIP culture in India ! But thank you delhi government, hamen hamari aukaat dikhane ke liye. (for showing us our worth).” Another commented, “Judicial Privilege underlined.”
BJP leader Jay Panda wrote sarcastically, “This is interesting, the ONLY new facility being arranged by the Delhi govt for #Covid patients. By contrast, the hospitals & medical facilities set up by the union govt & its entities (like ITBP & DRDO) aren’t restricted to any one category of people, they are open to all.”
Wow! VVIP culture remains strong even in pandemic!!
— Sunil Sihag (@sunilssihag) April 26, 2021
Judicial VVIP Privilege underlined https://t.co/vx66fC9AfM
— Ninjamonkey (@Aryan_warlord) April 26, 2021
No VVIP culture, never forgot those IAC slogans! https://t.co/VZIZC1EF98
— James Wilson (@jamewils) April 26, 2021
That’s worst example of VVIP culture in India !
But thank you delhi government, hamen hamari aukaat dikhane ke liye . https://t.co/3E0ye8REMa
— Sumit (@sumitsaurabh) April 26, 2021
The order by the Delhi government had read, “Now, therefore, I, Geeta Grover, Incident Commander/ SDM, SubDivision Chanakyapuri, in exercise of powers conferred under Act/Regulations mentioned above, and in overall imminent public interest, do hereby require the 100 rooms of Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi for setting up of Covid Health facility for the use of Hon’ble Justices and other judicial officers of Delhi High Court and their families and place at the disposal of Primus Hospital, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi with immediate effect with the following directions.”
Speaking in February 2015 after winning a landslide in the assembly polls, Kejriwal had vowed to end Delhi’s ‘VIP culture.’ “We want to end the VIP culture in this country,” Kejriwal had at Delhi’s Ramlila ground.
In 2019, Kejriwal had tweeted, “I have directed the Health department to end VIP culture in government hospitals. No more private rooms for VIPs. All citizens will get equal treatment, but it will be of the best quality.”