“In upcoming state elections, we’ll talk of replicating Delhi model”

November 2021 \ Interviews \ POLITICAL INTERVIEW

“In upcoming state elections, we’ll talk of replicating Delhi model”

Dr Sushil Gupta, MP and Chief Whip Aam Aadmi Party, Rajya Sabha, is an eminent educationist, agriculturist and social worker. His educational institutions serve well over 15,000 students across Delhi and Haryana, and the Maharaja Agrasen hospitals that he has set up in Delhi serve thousands of patients every year. He is a noted philanthropist and his charitable works have earned him widespread respect. He speaks with India Empire on his philosophy behind joining the AAP, and his own vision for the party

Dr Sushil Gupta, MP and Chief Whip Aam Aadmi Party, Rajya Sabha

On his philosophy behind joining AAP

I was with the Congress earlier. Around four years ago I decided to join the AAP, based on their focus on education and healthcare. Personally, I’ve known Arvind Ji since 2005.

On his work in education and healthcare

I’ve been working in the health and education terrain for over 30 years. I’ve established many schools, colleges—including those in architecture, management—all in rural areas, and not even a single one in an urban location. My aim has always been to bring in world class education to the doorstep of the common citizen with minimum fees, of course. These institutions have been set up in Delhi, and in the adjoining state of Haryana in the districts of Bahadurgarh, Hissar, Jhajjar and Fatehabad.

I’m also associated with the healthcare sector. I was instrumental in establishing a 400-bed hospital in Punjabi Bagh (Maharaja Agrasen) and another 100-bed one has been set up in Dwarka. I’ve also started a medical university in Bahadurgarh on 30 acres of land. The project is coming up. The Maharaja Agrasen hospital was commissioned in 1989 and has 1,800 trustees. No one can hold an executive office at the hospital for more than two terms of three years each. This way we ensure that the management remains democratic and fresh ideas are constantly drafted in.

Now the AAP had been doing considerable work in the sphere of health and education. Early on I realized that the party has been making a substantial difference to the lives of common people. It had also been seriously trying to improve water and electricity services. It occurred to me that if this was going to be an ongoing focus of the party, then my association with the AAP would be worthwhile. And that is how my journey began with the party.

On the party’s success in Delhi

Today the people of this country actually want the Delhi-model replicated on a pan-India basis. I used to find that political issues earlier revolved around Pakistan, USA and Australia. The common citizen had very little to do with these issues. After Arvind Ji arrived, people are engaging more on day-to-day issues that are closer to their heart—ones that concern health, education, employment, water, electricity, women’s empowerment and so on.