"Hold collar of SP, collector to become big leader": Minister
Raipur: A Chhattisgarh minister courted controversy after a video of him, in which he is heard purportedly saying he had advised a boy to "hold the collar of SP and collector to become a big politician", surfaced on Monday.
Commercial Tax (Excise) and Industry Minister Kawasi Lakhma had reportedly made the remark during Teachers Day celebration on September 5 in a government school in Sukma district headquarter of the state.
Taking a dig at his alleged comment, a BJP leader congratulated Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, saying His minister used good words for the executive"
In the video, the Congress minister is seen sitting among schoolchildren and heard narrating some recent incident of interaction with students. Lakhma is heard saying to some people who were not in the frame, that once he was asked by a student how he become a "big leader".
"The boy asked me `how I became a big politician and what he had to do (to become a political leader)'. I told him to hold the collar of SP (superintendent of police) or (district) collector, he is heard saying in the video.
Students and others were seen laughing after his comment. However, when contacted, Lakhma claimed he had been "misquoted" and had never mentioned about holding the "collar of SP or collector". "I visit schools and ashrams to meet students and ask them what they aspire to become.
"Once when a student asked me what he should do to become a leader like me, I told him to study well and then fight for the public cause on the street and do hard struggle.
"The statement of holding the collar of SP and collector, which being shown, is fake. I told him to struggle hard to become a leader, Lakhma told PTI over the phone.
The video was shared by former minister and BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar on Twitter who sarcastically wrote congratulations to Bhupesh Baghel ji. Your minister has used good words for the executive.
"It would be better if you (CM) send him to Kurud (Chandrakars constituency) so that he can re-inaugurate public works dedicated by me. This will strengthen the democracy, Chandrakar tweeted.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
