The Hemant Soren-led government in Jharkhand has made a controversial decision to rename the ‘Atal Mohalla Clinic’ initiative to ‘Mother Teresa Advance Health Clinic’. This has led to strong reactions from the BJP, which views the move as disrespectful to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a form of appeasement. The BJP’s spokesperson, Pratul Shahdev, criticized the decision, citing concerns over the activities of Mother Teresa’s organization, as noted by various authors and the Indian government’s past actions. The Health Minister, Dr. Irfan Ansari, has defended the name change, emphasizing Mother Teresa’s significant contributions to the health sector. The original clinics, launched under the previous government, aimed to provide essential healthcare services to the underprivileged.
