AIIMS's door-to-door mental health survey indirect move to facilitate NRC in Bengal claims Mamata

    Kolkata, Aug 18 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the door-to-door mental health survey, conducted by Kalyani AIIMS, is an indirect way to facilitate NRC in the state.
    The AIIMS Kalyani, however, said it has been conducting the study in seven districts of West Bengal as part of the second phase of the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS), and under the guidance of a senior official of the state government’s health and family welfare department.
    Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat 'Nabanna', Banerjee also claimed that several agencies were conducting surveys to remove names from the voters' list.
    She urged the people to stay alert and not to participate in any such programme without verifying the fact with the state government.
    "In the name of a mental health survey, Kalyani AIIMs is indirectly surveying for the NRC. If any organisation reaches your house in the name of a survey, please verify it with the state government first," the CM said.
    Kalyani AIIMS, located in Nadia district, was established by the central government in 2018.
    The chief minister asserted that her administration will not take responsibility for any such study.
    "The state government is not conducting any such survey. There are agencies that, in the name of several organisations, were conducting door-to-door surveys to strike off your names from the voters' list. Be alert. Do not share your details with anybody other than officials of the state government," Banerjee said.
    Without naming any party, the Trinamool Congress supremo alleged that the AIIMS in Kalyani was indirectly working for a political outfit.
    "I will ask AIIMS to treat patients well. We have given land and helped it in many ways, and will continue to do so in the future as well. But do not play such games. The state government has its mental health department.This is the job of the state health department and not yours," she said.
    Banerjee claimed that whenever AIIMS Kalyani holds an inauguration programme, "we do not get an invitation, though we are not bothered about that".
    Later, the AIIMS Kalyani issued a statement, saying that it was participating in the second phase of the NMHS as a partner institution of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru.
    "The survey is being conducted in seven districts of West Bengal under the guidance and liaison of the Additional Director of Health Services (Mental Health), Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal," it said.
    The questionnaires used in this study have been duly validated by the World Health Organisation and NIMHANS, ensuring high standards of scientific and ethical rigour, the statement said.
    "This survey is part of a nationwide initiative and is being conducted across all states and union territories of India to assess the mental health status and needs of the population," it said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)