Jaipur, Mar 21 (IANS): The Right to Health Bill was passed in the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday amidst a hue and cry by the opposition BJP.

Rajasthan has become the first state in the country where the Right to Health Bill has been passed. Earlier, there was a fierce debate between the ruling Congress and the opposition regarding the passing of this bill.

State health minister Parsadi Lal Meena attacked the doctors and some big hospitals. He said if someone dies during treatment in a private hospital, the body is released only after the bill is paid in full. Sometimes the bill is of lakhs of rupees. From where will a poor man get lakhs of rupees? he asked.

Meena said the public has elected us and sent us here. We should take care of the public. There are many famous and big hospitals in Jaipur who cheat in the name of treatment. After this bill is passed, we will take action against them. The bill was sent to the Select Committee with everyone's consent. The committee has prepared the report with everyone's concurrence, he added.

Responding to the debate on the Bill, Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena said doctors have forgotten their religion and were adamant on the withdrawal of the bill. We met the doctors. They were adamant that they would not accept anything less than withdrawing the bill. To what extent is this justified? This is an insult to the House.