uring proceedings in the Bihar Assembly, the state’s youngest MLA, Maithili Thakur, raised serious concerns over the poor condition of a government hospital in her Alinagar constituency, putting Health Minister Mangal Pandey on the spot during Question Hour on Monday.
‘Not Just Repairs, Building Is Unsafe’: MLA
Reacting to the minister’s written reply, which described the hospital as only requiring repairs, Thakur told the House she was not satisfied with the response, that the facility was in a dilapidated and potentially dangerous condition.
She warned that the building’s state was such that a major accident could occur at any time, contradicting the official assessment presented in the Assembly.
Shortage of Doctors, Cramped Facilities Flagged
Elaborating on her concerns, Thakur said the hospital was operating out of a single small room and lacked basic medical infrastructure. She also highlighted a shortage of doctors, noting that while the hospital earlier had two MBBS doctors, none were currently posted there.
“I am not fully satisfied because the reply claims the building is not in bad condition. But I have personally seen otherwise,” she said, seeking a fresh explanation from the minister.
‘Appeal in Public Interest’, Says Thakur
Clarifying her intent, the young legislator stressed that she was not questioning the minister, but making an appeal in the interest of the public.
“I have seen the health minister working for years. I request him to look into this matter again and resolve it for the people,” she added while addressing the House.
Thakur later remarked that while official records suggested everything was in order, the ground reality was “quite the opposite.”
Heated Moments in House, Speaker Steps In
Thakur’s repeated intervention briefly heated up the atmosphere in the Assembly, with Opposition MLAs thumping desks in support, while some members of the ruling party appeared visibly uncomfortable.
The Speaker intervened to restore order and allow proceedings to continue.
A video capturing the exchange showing a new MLA publicly challenging her own party’s minister soon surfaced online and was widely shared on social media.
Maithili Thakur a popular Indian folk, classical and devotional singer known for her soulful voice in bhajans joined the BJP, contested and won the Bihar Assembly election from Alinagar constituency at age 25, becoming one of India's youngest MLAs.
