Delhi BJP MPs have filed a joint writ petition in the Delhi High Court seeking the implementation of Centre’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the national capital, party’s state unit chief Virendra Sachdeva said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference here, Sachdeva accused the AAP government and Arvind Kejriwal of not allowing the people of Delhi access to the unique health insurance scheme, which is now expanded making it possible for the elderly, 70 years or above, in the country to access free treatment with the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card.

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Slamming the AAP government for its decision to not implement the Centre’s scheme in Delhi, he said when PM Narendra Modi expressed his pain over the people in Delhi, especially the elderly, being unable to avail of the scheme’s benefits, the BJP MPs here decided to explore legal options to mitigate the problem.

The BJP leader pointed out that the elderly, who usually feel shy of expressing their requirements, cannot avail of the benefits of the Centre’s scheme because of the state government’s decision not to implement the same.

With such a scheme that provides treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh for free of cost, the elderly population is bound to have a sense of independence.

Sachdeva further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who wants to serve the elderly of the country, is not able to do so in Delhi and West Bengal because of the state governments’ indiscretion.

Raising doubts over health model of mohalla clinics, he dared AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to prove 300 of 500 such clinics, claimed to be functional in the city, are operational.

He sought an explanation from the Delhi government for the 65,000 fake medical tests in which patients’ names disappeared. The episode has come to light even as fake medicines were caught being supplied to the Delhi government hospitals for which an inquiry is underway, he said.

He alleged that the mohalla clinic model was floated to raise money through commission from tests in collaboration with private labs. Such is the condition of the state government hospitals that people are forced to rely on private hospitals for treatment while medicines are not available in 40 per cent of the mohalla clinics, he said.

Sachdeva said there are hospitals in Delhi, registered under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, but provide treatment to only patients from other states. It’s because the state government has not implemented the scheme.