In letter to PM Modi, Kejriwal seeks Bharat Ratna for medical fraternity

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to consider conferring Bharat Ratna, country's greatest civilian honour, to healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses and paramedics’ community in the country for their tireless services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I want to request the central government to award this year’s Bharat Ratna to an ‘Indian Doctor’. By an ‘Indian Doctor’, I mean the entire medical community - all doctors, nurses and paramedics should be given the award, collectively,” CM Kejriwal said, adding that this was the best way to pay homage to all those who were martyred while serving the nation while on Covid duties.

“What can be a better token of gratitude for them? If the current rules do not allow Bharat Ratna to be awarded to a community then I urge you to tweak the rules. The entire country is grateful to doctors. If they are awarded Bharat Ratna, the whole nation will be pleased,” he added.

Approximately 1,492 doctors have succumbed to Covid-19 pandemic apart from a large number of other healthcare professional, according to the Indian Medical Association.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to the families of doctors and other frontline workers who succumbed while offering their services during the pandemic.