The Jharkhand government, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has decided to rename the ‘Atal Mohalla Clinic’ to ‘Mother Teresa Advance Health Clinic,’ sparking controversy. This decision, approved in a recent cabinet meeting, has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP has accused the government of disrespecting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after whom the clinics were initially named, and of pursuing appeasement politics. The clinics were established by the previous BJP government to provide free primary health services in urban slums. The BJP cited allegations against Mother Teresa’s organization, including conversion activities, as reasons for their disapproval. Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari defended the move, citing Mother Teresa’s significant contributions to healthcare. The clinics, originally launched in August 2019, offer essential health services to the public.
