Bhopal: Minister for external affairs, Sushma Swaraj has not visited her Lok Sabha constituency Vidisha in almost two years. Swaraj happened to remember her constituency after NITI Aayog included Vidisha amongst the country’s most backward districts, but her visit was limited to only Bhopal.
Swaraj on Monday came to Bhopal and reviewed the works done in her constituency in the fields of education, health and women and child development. Swaraj reviewed only those areas which have made the Aayog include Vidisha in the list of most backward districts.
Swaraj had under gone kidney transplant in December, 2016. She was not keeping well and that restricted her visits to Vidisha. Swaraj, after recovering, attended a programme in Bhopal in August, 2017 but she did not go to Vidisha. Local Congress leaders in Vidisha expressed their resentment by getting her posters of missing person installed. Her confidants, on the issue of her not visiting Vidisha, maintain that she is unable to visit Vidisha due to health reasons.
Swaraj has no interest in contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha. This is also one of the biggest reasons why she has stopped taking interest in the affairs of her constituency. Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Ganjbasoda alleged that Swaraj has stopped coming to Vidisha because it seems that she is no more interested in contesting Lok Sabha elections from Vidisha. Jain claimed that her health was a reason earlier but now she is well.
Minister expresses annoyance in meeting
Sushma Swaraj, in the meeting with officers and public representatives organised in the wake of Vidisha figuring in most backward districts, expressed her annoyance. Sources said that Swaraj said in the meeting that ground reality is different than what has been claimed on papers.
Swaraj said pictures of teachers teaching in a school should be put up in all the schools. Public representatives and officers during inspection should ask students about the attendance of teachers and if teachers do not come, then action should be taken. The attendance of doctors at primary health centres and ANM in rural region should be ensured. All necessary steps should be taken to make sure that better health services must reach the people living in villages.