BJP flays Karnataka minister’s stand of not allowing Jan Aushadhi Kendras in govt hospitals
Bengaluru (PTI): Refusing to accept Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil's stand that Jan Aushadhi Kendras are not needed on government hospital premises as the state-run medical facilities provide medicines for free, the BJP claimed it is depriving poor patients of subsidised medicines.
BJP State President B Y Vijayendra said the minister's move deprives patients from weaker sections from obtaining medicines at affordable prices.
“Is the Congress government more focused on its own clumsy politics than on the health of the poor? It’s truly disheartening to hear Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil deny permission for Jan Aushadi Kendras near government hospital premises,” the Shikaripura MLA said.
Speaking to a Kannada news channel, Patil said he will not allow Jan Aaushadhi Kendras on the premises of government hospitals.
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“I am not allowing because the government’s idea is to give medicines free of cost at the government hospitals. People will have to buy medicines at the Jan Aushadhi. I am not allowing it because I don’t want to encourage it, because in the government hospitals, medical stores should not exist. Government’s noble intention is that it should give drugs free of cost,” Patil said.
When the government is giving medicines free of cost, why should there be a store giving medicines at a subsidised rate, he asked. “You know what will happen next? There will be a nexus. If the medical store is allowed, they will go and request the doctors to write or prescribe specific medicines. That nexus will start. I don’t want that to happen in my hospitals,” he added.
According to Vijayendra, this decision not only deprives patients of access to affordable medicines but also raises serious concerns about a possible conspiracy to benefit pharmaceutical companies at the expense of the needy.
“The @INCKarnataka government must reconsider and reverse any decisions that go against the welfare of the people,” Vijayendra said.
Since the Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana is a central government project, Vijayendra said, it was essential to avoid a confrontational stance with the central government and instead focus on the well-being of the citizens.
“The @narendramodi government established Jan Aushadi Kendras to ensure that affordable generic medicines are available to the poor, and Karnataka should continue on this path for the greater good of its citizens,” he said.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
