Patna, Dec. 16: Prejudice related to HIV has deprived a patient of his right to avail of government welfare schemes.

The man today turned up at the weekly janata darbar of Patna divisional commissioner K.P. Ramaiah to lodge a complaint against a mukhiya (panchayat head) who allegedly deleted his name from the below poverty line (BPL) list because the former was HIV positive.

The 30-year-old patient from Chandi village in Nalanda pleaded to the commissioner to include his name in the BPL list. “The mukhiya has deleted my name from the list. This has created serious problems for me. I am not getting foodgrain at subsidised rates now. He (mukhiya) removed my name after he came to know that I am HIV positive,” the man said.

He said he hails from Kacchi panchayat where Manohar Paswan is the mukhiya. “My name was included in the BPL list in 2008 but it was deleted in May 2011. I realised it when I went to collect grocery from a public distribution system shop. The dealer of the shop refused to give me subsidised foodgrain as my name was not in the list,” he said.

“I went up to the mukhiya and asked him the reason. He said my name couldn’t be added in the BPL list because I was HIV positive. I was shocked to hear this from a panchayat head. How can he discriminate with someone on this basis? If I am entitled to the benefits of a government scheme, then why should I be neglected?” he asked.

After hearing his plea, Ramaiah said: “A panchayat head does not enjoy the power to delete names of BPL beneficiaries. How could it be possible? You fill up the application and I will enquire into the case. There is lack of awareness, when it comes to issues like HIV and AIDS. Everyone is equal in a society and there should not be any discrimination based on such issues.”

The commissioner added: “It seems people are completely cut-off from the different kinds of awareness programmes, which the government has taken up on a large-scale across the state.”

The HIV patient used to work in a factory in Delhi. He had to return to Bihar after he fractured his right leg in an accident last year. “Since then, I am at home. My elder brother supports me financially. The recent deletion of my name from the BPL list has added to the financial pressures on my family,” he said.

Asking about the possible action that could be taken against the panchayat head, Ramaiah said: “As you know that the issue has come to my knowledge just now, I will first enquire into the matter and if the mukhiya is found guilty, he will surely lose his post. Such practices will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against the person.”