The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest outside Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital in New Delhi on Monday, July 6, 2026, over the alleged Rs 650 crore scam involving the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The protest was led by AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bhardwaj, who demanded the resignations of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and the Health Minister.
Protest Details and Demands
During the demonstration, party workers formed a human chain holding placards featuring CM Rekha Gupta and former DGHS Dr Vatsala Aggarwal, questioning the nature of their relationship. Bhardwaj alleged that the BJP government had changed procurement rules to concentrate power in Aggarwal’s hands through the Central Procurement Agency (CPA), bypassing hospitals’ direct purchase powers.
“The BJP itself is claiming Dr Vatsala Aggarwal has carried out a Rs 650-crore scam while serving as DGHS. The Rekha Gupta government changed the rules by directing that no hospital would be allowed to make direct purchases and that all procurement would instead be routed through Aggarwal’s Central Procurement Agency (CPA). The government must now explain what its relationship with Aggarwal is and why does it warrant such extraordinary favour,” Bhardwaj said.
Allegations of Favoritism and Bypassing Seniority
Bhardwaj further alleged that Aggarwal was not the most senior officer, yet all senior officials were bypassed and she was appointed DGHS by CM Rekha Gupta. “She was made DGHS despite a vigilance inquiry pending against her. The government also stripped all hospitals of their procurement powers and concentrated those powers in the hands of a single DGHS,” the former minister added.
Demand for Justice and Accusations Against ACB
Bhardwaj also demanded that Rajiv Rangeela be brought to justice so that he could reveal which politicians had received a share of the Rs 650 crore. He criticized Union Minister Harsh Malhotra’s claim that the investigation is ongoing, suggesting that the principal accused was allowed to escape. “Harsh Malhotra claims that the investigation is still incomplete, but if that is true, why was the principal accused allowed to escape? The investigation will now never be completed. Harsh Malhotra will keep saying that the investigation is ongoing because the very person who was supposed to be investigated was allowed to flee by the ACB under his government’s watch,” Bhardwaj alleged.
The protest highlights growing political tensions in Delhi over alleged corruption in the health department, with the AAP accusing the BJP-led government of shielding the accused and mishandling the investigation.
