Patna Jun 2 (IANS): After the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the creaking health infrastructure in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has blamed the BJP for the same.

Chitranjan Gagan, the spokesperson of the RJD, said that the rural medical infrastructure of Bihar was ranked 12, as per the Planning Commission index of 2005. It went down to 20th position in 2015-16 and now it has reached the bottom of the index in 2019-20, according to the report of Niti Aayog.

The BJP is an alliance partner of Nitish Kumar since 2005 after taking over from Rabri Devi. During the last 15 years, it was the BJP which held the health ministry portfolio in Bihar.

The reaction of the RJD spokesperson came a day after Sushil Modi congratulated Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi for their 48th marriage anniversary. At the same time, he also asked the question and tweeted that so many referral hospitals were opened during the RJD rule. Why were those hospitals closed during the Rabri Devi government?

"BJP leader Sushil Modi is used to wrongfully communicate with the people of Bihar and blames RJD for health infrastructure collapse in Bihar. He said that during the tenure of Lalu Prasad, there were so many referral hospitals and health centers opened in the state but Rabri Devi failed to maintain them. I want to ask a question to Sushil Modi -- clarify why your government has not improved health infrastructure during the last 15 years?" Gagan said.

"After every flop policy of Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, you put blame on Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav, why are you not pointing out the posts of 57 per cent doctors, 71 per cent nurses, 72 per cent medical technicians, 50 per cent ANM, 80 per cent ventilator operators are lying vacant in Bihar now," Gagan said.