Covid Scam: Action on panel report after cabinet approval, says Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru/Hubballi, Nov 10: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic related irregularities will start after the cabinet approval.
He said the sub-committee was examining the report given by the Justice Michael D' Cunha Commission of Inquiry which investigated alleged irregularities in the purchase of equipment and medicines during the Covid 19 pandemic when the BJP was in power.
"It has not come before the cabinet. The sub-committee is examining the report. Once the sub-committee submits its report, we will discuss that in the cabinet," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Hubballi.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had said on Saturday that the Commission has recommended for the prosecution of Yediyurappa and former minister B Sriramulu in connection with the alleged irregularities in purchase of equipment and medicines during the pandemic.
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The Karnataka government on October 11 decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a Cabinet sub-committee to take further action on the D' Cunha commission report. In the "partial" report submitted on August 31 in 11 volumes, the Commission examined the expenditure to the tune of Rs 7,223.64 crore.
Yediyurappa had said there was no question of getting scared by "these threats".
The government was trying to create confusion by digging into the past and this will not serve any purpose, he added.
Reacting to Yediyurappa's comments, Siddaramaiah said, "These are not empty threats. We have formed a Commission headed by Justice Michal D'Cunha. Based on his report criminal action will be taken."
"Let's see what he (Yediyurappa) will do after the criminal action is initiated," Siddaramaiah added.
"Judiciary is meant for delivering justice. Isn't it for punishing those who have committed wrong," he sked.
Home Minister G Parameshwara too hinted at prosecuting former Yediyurappa and others based on the report. He too said the state cabinet will decide the next course of action.
"It has been said (in the report) that in this (PPE kit) purchase alone there was a loss of almost Rs 15 - Rs 16 crore. Naturally, the government will take the next steps. The cabinet will decide on it," Parameshwara told reporters.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge alleged that the PPE kits that were locally available at Rs 333.40 apiece during the COVID-19 pandemic were purchased from a Chinese firm and a Hong Kong firm at Rs 2,100 per kit.
Addressing reporters, Kharge said that on March 17, 2020 the then BJP government in Karnataka approved the purchase of drugs, chemicals, medical equipment, and consumables for Rs 416.48 crore.
The Need Assessment Committee of the health department had decided to purchase 12 lakh PPE kits. This was at a time when 18 lakh kits were available in the state, he explained.
To purchase 12 lakh PPE kits, a rate of Rs 2,117.53 was fixed based on an email from the Commerce and Industry Department, the Minister said. He cited the email to state that there were names of two companies: a Chinese one and a Hong Kong firm.
The government did not negotiate with the vendor, did not invite tender nor did verify the prevailing market rate but whatever rate the vendor had proposed was agreed upon, the Minister alleged.
He added that the officials told Yediyurappa and the then Health Minister that three quotations had come and asked them to call for a short-term tender.
"But the Chief Minister and Health Minister termed that to be an emergency situation and asked the officials to prepare the files and they would look into them," Kharge alleged.
On April 2, 2020, the file was submitted to the government. The CM gave a direct order to purchase one lakh PPE kits and this cost the government approximately Rs 21.18 crore, he said. In all, the PPE kits were purchased for a total cost of Rs 62.57 crore.
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Maharashtra poll results unexpected, incomprehensible; something fishy: Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai, Nov 23: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday called the Maharashtra assembly poll results, which the BJP-led Mahayuti swept, completely unexpected and incomprehensible, and cast aspersions on its authenticity.
Addressing a news conference, Thackeray said he could not believe Maharashtra, which listened to him as ‘kutumb pramukh’ (head of family) during the coronavirus pandemic, would behave this way with him.
“I cannot believe Maharashtra will behave this way with me. There is certainly something fishy,” he said.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) suffered a crushing blow, with its candidates winning or leading in about 45 seats, a far cry from the boasts by many of its senior leaders that the combine would trounce the Mahayuti.
Thackeray said the results reflect that there was a tsunami rather than a wave and added that the “anger” against the government was very much visible over unemployment and agrarian distress.
The former chief minister wondered how the situation could change so drastically in four months after the Lok Sabha polls in which Maha Vikas Aghadi decimated the NDA, winning 30 of the state’s 48 seats.
“I promise to the people of Maharashtra that we will keep fighting for the rights of the state,” Thackeray asserted.
Of the 95 seats it contested, the Sena (UBT) won just 20 seats. By contrast, Uddhav’s archrival and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who split the Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena in 2022, powered his outfit to an emphatic show.
Shinde’s Sena was winning or leading in 57 seats, as per the latest figures shared by the Election Commission, in a major boost to his side as he has been repeatedly accused by Uddhav and his aides of “stealing” the original party.
Thackeray also took a dig at Shinde saying he would now have to under Devendra Fadnavis, amid speculation that the BJP leader would be made the CM.
In the Mahayuti of BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP could win over 230 of the 288 seats in the state. BJP and NCP look poised to bag 133 and 41 seats, respectively.
Of the other MVA partners, NCP (SP) won only 10 of the 86 seats it contested, while the Congress was winning or leading in only 16 constituencies though it had fielded 101 candidates.
