Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s visit to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to inquire about former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s health on Thursday kicked up a row after Singh’s daughter accused the minister of getting a photographer inside the room despite the family objecting to it.
The former PM was admitted to the AIIMS on Wednesday evening because of fever and weakness, which was later diagnosed as dengue.
Daman Singh told ThePrint that her mother was upset because a photographer had entered the room along with the minister. When she insisted that the photographer leave the room, “she was completely ignored”.
“She (her mother) was very upset. My parents are trying to cope in a difficult situation. They are elderly people. Not animals in a zoo,” Daman told ThePrint.
Daman said the family wanted visitors be restricted as Singh’s immunity is low, and there is the risk of infection. The former PM had contracted COVID-19 earlier this year, despite two doses of the vaccine.
“It was nice of the health minister to visit and express his concern. However, my parents were in no state to be photographed at the time,” Daman was quoted as saying.
Mandaviya had, reportedly, posted a few photos of his visit on his Twitter handle, but removed it later following a social media backlash.
There has been no official statement on the matter, neither from the AIIMS nor the health ministry or the minister.
