"...undeclared emergency in Karnataka": Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje attacks Cong govt.
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday alleged that there seems to be an "undeclared emergency" in Karnataka, and likened Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Hitler, as she hit out at the Congress government for filing cases against her and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka.
She said that neither she nor her party workers and leaders will be cowed down by such cases and threats and that they will continue to fight the government's alleged "appeasement politics."
FIRs have been registered against Karandlaje and Ashoka on the charges of allegedly sharing "false information" on social media in connection with the recent violence at Nagamangala town in Mandya district.
"There is a kind of undeclared emergency in Karnataka. Siddaramaiah has become Hitler after becoming the Chief Minister. FIRs are being registered against BJP parliamentarians and legislators continuously. For the first time in the history of the state, FIRs have been registered against the Leader of Opposition and a Central minister, also against Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya," Karandlaje said.
Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment said FIRs have been also registered against BJP legislators like Harish Poonja, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, Arvind Bellad and Bharath Shetty, and "in this way the Congress is trying to suppress BJP and its leaders."
"I want to ask Siddaramaiah regarding -- Ivan D'Souza (Congress leader) had threatened the Governor with Bangladesh-like consequence, our Mangaluru workers are everyday going to police station, giving complaint, but still it has not been taken up, till today no FIR has been registered against him," she said.
Further pointing out that no case has been registered against Yadgir Congress MLA Channareddy Tunnur and his son in a case linked to the death of Police Sub-Inspector Parashuram, and Special Investigation Team probe report has not mentioned the name of former Minister B Nagendra in the multi-crore Valmiki ST Development Corporation scam, Karandlaje asked: "what are you trying to turn Karnataka into?"
Questioning as to what was the mistake on her part or Ashoka and for what crime FIRs were registered against them, she said it looks like questioning the government was their crime. "To appease minorities, you (govt) are murdering democracy....a government that should function in accordance with the Constitution is not there in Karnataka," she alleged.
Alleging that "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans were raised in CM's home district of Mysuru during Eid-e-Milad procession on Monday, she said, "because of the Congress government's lenient stand, and its appeasement politics, you are making Karnataka's majority Hindus a scapegoat."
Alleging that BJP and Hindu activists are being threatened by filing cases, Karandlaje said: "This is Siddaramaiah's administration. I urge you to leave this mindset. We will not be cowed down by such threats, file hundred FIRs if you want, we won't fear and will continue to fight....people will teach you a lesson."
Citing the violence in Nagamangala during a Ganesh idol procession, she sought to know as to who are those behind the violence and torching shops and vehicles.
"As per reports people had come from Kerala, who are they, how and why did they come? You (govt) have tried to shut Nagamangala violence case. Your police are trying to close the case as though it was a non-incident. (G) Parameshwara (Home Minister) says it was a minor incident..." she alleged, as she questioned as to why the CM or Home Minister did not visit Nagamangala.
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Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
