Flap over rebranding India clinics as temples

Central govt move seen as yet another bid by PM Modi’ party to seek Hindu support

- Debarshi Dasgupta

The single-floor pale yellow building, with its plaster peeling and moss growing on its walls, is easy to miss amid the multi-storey houses in Uttar Pradesh's Mamura village on the fringes of India's capital, New Delhi.

But for many poor and middleclass Indians in and around the village, this government-run health clinic, where services are free, is a prominent lifeline.

On July 15, 49-year-old Sidh Gopal, a daily-wage worker who works at a sports garment factory, was there to consult a doctor for a nagging pain in his ankle joints.

"We come here to save a few rupees," said Mr Gopal, who earns around 10,000 rupees (S$160) each month, as he held on to his rusty bicycle in one hand and the iron and calcium tablets he had been prescribed in the other.

Such primary health centres, which are spread across the country and form the first point of healthcare access for many Indians, have, however, emerged as a flashpoint between the central and several state governments.

A recent decision by the central government to rename these clinics as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs has run into opposition from several states, especially those with a significant non-Hindu population.

The term "mandir" in Hindi refers to a temple or a Hindu place of worship. The move, which was proposed before the recently held general election, has been seen as yet another attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party to seek Hindu support.

These Ayushman Arogya Mandirs now also have to bear the Sanskrit tag line, Arogyam Paramam Dhanam (health is the greatest wealth).

Run in partnership between the central government and governments of states where they are located, these clinics were earlier known as Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (ABHWCs). They are meant to offer an expanded range of services that go beyond the usual maternal and child healthcare services that they have conventionally provided.