Vajpayee admitted to Breach Candy Hospital

MUMBAI, JUNE 6. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, was today admitted to Breach Candy Hospital here for a knee-joint replacement surgery scheduled to take place early tomorrow.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by his family members including foster daughter, Ms. Namita, and son-in-law Mr. Ranjan Bhattacharya.

Mr. Vajpayee inaugurated a tree plantation campaign launched by the State BJP by planting a banyan tree and a herbal plant in the hospital premises. He appealed to the State party chief, Mr. Vinod Tawde, to ensure that one lakh saplings were planted during the campaign.

The Maharashtra Governor, Dr. P.C. Alexander, the Union Energy Minister, Ms. Jaywantiben Mehta, the Petroleum Minister, Mr. Ram Naik, the Information Technology Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, the National Security Advisor, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, and the State Health Minister, Mr. Digvijay Khanvilkar were among those present at the hospital.

The Prime Minister was then taken to the seventh floor of the hospital where he would be put up after the surgery.

Security has been beefed up in and around the hospital where the Prime Minister is expected to stay for nearly a week depending on post-surgery recovery. Naval authorities have tightened security near the hospital which overlooks the Arabian sea.

Special local city commandos have also been deployed along with the city police squads to thwart any untoward incident in the city during Mr. Vajpayee's stay.

Calls for `balanced report'

Earlier, the Prime Minister urged the media to `present a balanced report' about his illness and the surgery. ``Jitna beemar hun utna hi likhiye, na kam na jyada (Write in proportion of my illness, not less not more),'' the Prime Minister said amid peals of laughter. `Apologising' to the people for the `inconvenience' caused to them on his arrival here, Mr. Vajpayee said in a lighter vein, `Mein Mumbai me phir aya hun, logon ko pareshan karne (I have come back to Mumbai to trouble all of you).''

``It is the good wishes of the people that fills me with strength,'' he added, recalling his previous stay in the city in October last when he underwent a surgery for replacement of left knee joint.

Mr. Vajpayee also delighted mediapersons with a splattering of Marathi saying, ``ata kahi vicharayche asel tar vichara (shoot questions if you have).''

The Prime Minister sought to play down the controversy generated by his remarks during his last visit to the City on the occasion of Mahaveer Jayanti celebrations when he had said that he would like the doors of Mumbai to be open for all.

His remarks had drawn instant reaction from the Shiv Sena which has consistently maintained that Mumbai was meant for Maharashtrians and influx from outside states was a problem.

``There is no need for any misunderstanding. I had only discussed the gigantic growth of this City. I am hopeful that the civic administration and the State Government will address the problems arising from increasing flow of population into the metropolis,'' Mr. Vajpayee said.

Special `aarti' today

Nearly 100 children would offer a special `aarti' here tomorrow to pray for the success of Mr. Vajpayee's surgery.

The `aarti', similar to the one held last year, would be organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party, to pray for the speedy recovery of the Prime Minister, the BJP MLA, Mr. M. Lodha, said today.

The `aarti', which would take place to coincide with the time of the operation, would be organised at the hospital premises or at the Mahalaxmi temple depending upon security clearance, he said.

The party has opened a special e-mail `Getwellatalji@Comnetinfotech.Com' to enable people to send in their `get well' wishes to the Prime Minister. At the hospital, a reception hall has been set up for the visitors and a special register kept to note the `get well' messages, Mr. Lodha added.

- PTI

* * *

Make-shift PMO

MUMBAI, JUNE 6. A make-shift Prime Minister's Office has been set up at Sahayadri, the plush guest house of Maharashtra Government at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai, to function during Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's stay in the city.

The make-shift PMO would be operational as long as the Prime Minister stays in the metropolis. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, the Joint Secretary in the PMO, Mr. Ashok Saikia, the spokesperson in the PMO, Mr. Ashok Tandon, and around eight personnel comprising support staff in the PMO would be put up in Mumbai, sources said.

Four physicians (all from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences), attached to the Prime Minister, and security personnel of the Special Protection Group would also be camping at Sahayadri, the sources added.

Mr. Mishra alongwith the Prime Minister's foster daughter, Ms. Namita, her husband, Mr. Ranjan Bhattacharya and their daughter, Ms. Niharika, would be staying at Raj Bhavan.

- PTI

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