Medical college row sparks political clash in Nahan: Bindal alleges, Solanki denies shift plans
A symbolic protest held at the historic Bada Chowk in Nahan on Monday ignited a political firestorm in Sirmaur district, as former MLA of Nahan and BJP state president Dr Rajeev Bindal accused the Congress government of conspiring to shift the Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar Government Medical College and Hospital out of Nahan — a move he described as a “direct assault on the city’s future and its people’s fortune.”
Speaking before a gathering of citizens concerned, Dr Bindal argued that the medical college is the single most transformative project in Nahan since Independence. “Decades after freedom, Nahan remained devoid of any major infrastructure project. The city’s economy once thrived due to the Nahan Foundry, which employed nearly a thousand workers. Its closure left a vacuum that was only filled with the establishment of this medical college,” he said.
Dr Bindal highlighted the economic multiplier effect the medical college brings to the region. “Once the college is fully functional, it will host a 500-bed hospital, over 200 doctors, more than 1,000 supporting staff and 500 students. An estimated 10,000 people — including OPD patients, their families and staff — will visit the city daily. This will generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities,” he said.
Even at its current partial capacity, the hospital handles 1,500 OPD cases daily, employs around 100 doctors and accommodates 500 medical students and staff, he noted. “Nahan will never again receive a project of this magnitude. Shifting it away would be a grave injustice.”
Dr Bindal accused unnamed political actors of being ensnared in a “conspiracy” to dismantle the institution. “This hospital is evolving into a critical healthcare hub. Attempts to shift it under the guise of ‘expansion’ are nothing but betrayal. Nahan’s tunnel and bypass projects are in the pipeline; if the college is removed now, the city will collapse economically.”
The BJP leader questioned the state government’s intent, pointing out that it has been over two-and-a-half years since the Congress came to power, yet construction at the college site has stagnated. “Buildings should have been completed, services expanded. Instead, the Congress administration let the project rust and now talks of shifting are being floated.”
He dismissed the government’s claim of expansion as misleading. “The facility already has three oxygen plants, 25 ventilators, a world-class CT scan and quality operation theatres. It deserves enhancement, not relocation. The construction of a Rs 20 crore Mother and Child Hospital has also been halted. The government must resume work immediately,” he demanded.
No plan to shift medical college out of Nahan: MLA
In a swift response, Nahan MLA Ajay Solanki rejected the allegations as “baseless and politically motivated.” He asserted that the BJP was deliberately misleading the public in the absence of real issues.
“There is no plan to shift the medical college out of Nahan. The state government is working on an expansion proposal to improve both infrastructure and patient care. The idea is to enhance, not abandon,” Solanki clarified.
Turning the tables, he alleged that the construction work at the medical college had stalled during the BJP’s tenure. “Dr Bindal was the sitting MLA and BJP was in power, yet the work was halted under their watch. He must first explain to the people of Nahan why the project suffered delays back then.”
MLA Solanki further stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Congress government is scripting a new chapter in Nahan’s development. “Unfortunately, the former MLA cannot digest this progress and is trying to mislead the innocent public with falsehoods.”
As both political camps dig in their heels, the issue surrounding Dr YS Parmar Medical College is rapidly turning into a litmus test of public trust and political credibility in Nahan. While the BJP is portraying it as a battle for the city’s survival, the Congress insists it is a campaign of misinformation designed to derail ongoing development.
Himachal Tribune