Karnataka govt denies nod for LoP Siddaramaiah to hold meeting on COVID with district officials
Bengaluru, May 20: Denying permission to leader of opposition Siddaramaiah's proposed video conference meeting with district officials to obtain information regarding measures taken for COVID-19 management, the B S Yediyurappa- led government in Karnataka has said that there is no such provision.
Siddaramaiah, calling it an attempt to restrict opposition parties, demanded that he be allowed to hold the meeting to gather information, failing which he was ready for any kind of parliamentary or constitutional confrontation to safeguard the public interest.
"Leader of Opposition can obtain administrative information by writing letters to department heads, deputy commissioners and other government officials, but there is no provision for the leader of opposition to hold a meeting of officials," the Chief Secretary has said in a letter to Siddaramaiah, citing earlier circulars.
The letter addressed to the LoP which has approval from the Chief Minister, was in response to Siddaramaiah's letter to the Chief Secretary a couple of days ago, asking him to direct Deputy Commissioners, Police Superintendents, and Health Officers of various districts to attend the zoom meeting and provide information.
In response to the Chief Secretary's letter, Siddaramaiah on Thursday shot off a missive to the CM urging to allow him hold the virtual meeting.
"If the government was alive and if it had belief in the democratic system it would have shared information immediately after a letter by the leader of opposition, but how to get answers from a government that has lost its senses and spirit," he said.
Noting that he has written 12 letters to the government after the second wave of COVID began, the Congress Legislature Party leader asked, "have you responded to even one of them? Isn't it the height of irresponsibility?"
Further accusing the government of having 'failed' in managing the COVID crisis by pointing to deaths due to shortage of beds, oxygen, medicines among others, he said, at such a time if we try to gather information on measures taken by the government, it is being denied.
"Your thinking is that if there are no opposition parties you can go on with corruption, laziness, inactiveness and anti people activities, and that is why you are attempting to restrict opposition parties," he alleged.
When the earlier circulars were issued there were no technological advantages of zoom, google and other applications and physical meetings had to be called, he pointed out.
Siddaramaiah stated that he has no intentions to review the functioning of officials and give them instructions, during the meeting and has enough knowledge of the Constitution.
"Gathering information is my only intention and a format for sharing the information has also been prepared and sent to officials...
as officials during many instances have shared information different from what has been asked, I have intended to gather it face-to-face to avoid confusion, allocating 30 minutes to one hour for each district," he said.
"So I urge you to immediately instruct the concerned officials to attend the zoom meeting and provide information, failing which I'm ready for any kind of parliamentary or constitutional confrontation to safeguard the public interest.
Without giving opportunity for that, I urge you to allow me to exercise legislative powers and responsibility to protect public interest," he told Yediyurappa.
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Woman's death: Under fire Pune-based Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital announces 'no deposit' policy
Pune (PTI) The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Maharashtra's Pune city, under fire for allegedly turning away a pregnant woman over non-payment of Rs 10 lakh as advance for treatment, on Saturday announced it would no longer be taking deposits from patients at the emergency department.
The woman, wife of the personal secretary of BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe, had to be shifted to another hospital where she died after delivering twins. The incident hit national headlines and evoked strong condemnation from leaders cutting across party lines as well as protests from citizens' groups.
In an open letter, the hospital's medical director Dr Dhananjay Kelkar said, "In the early years of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, we never took a deposit. But as the number of critical cases increased and the cost of complex treatments rose, the hospital began taking deposits in certain high-cost cases."
"However, in light of yesterday's events, we have re-evaluated this practice and passed a resolution that the hospital will no longer take any deposit from patients entering through the Emergency Department, including emergency deliveries and paediatric emergencies. This will be implemented with immediate effect," Dr Kelkar said in the letter.
ALSO READ: Woman died post delivery after Pune hospital refused admission over Rs 10 lakh deposit
He defended the hospital by reiterating that he had personally told the woman's kin to pay as per their ability and also offered all help, but they left with the patient without informing anyone.
While it is factually incorrect and unfair to hold the hospital directly responsible for the incident and the unfortunate death, the hospital is still investigating whether it showed adequate sensitivity towards the patient, Dr Kelkar added.
"I had myself told the woman's relatives to pay whatever amount they could as a deposit and assured them of complete support. However, they left the hospital with the patient without informing anyone," he stated.
Alluding to the protests at the hospital by various political parties on Friday, Dr Kelkar termed it as a "black day".
Without any regard for the hospital's legacy and services, a group participating in the morcha (protest) threw coins at the public relations officer, while some women activists allegedly barged into a hospital run by the parents of Dr. Sushrut Ghaisas and vandalized it.
Dr Ghaisas has been accused by the kin of the deceased woman seeking the deposit ahead of admission.
"Our heads hung in shame when some protestors blackened the names of Lata Mangeshkar and Deenanath Mangeshkar, all of this taking place in front of media cameras," Dr Kelkar said.
An internal inquiry report of the Mangeshkar Hospital had claimed on Friday that the allegations of denial of admission for non-payment of Rs 10 lakh were "misleading" and made "out of frustration" by her family.
The woman's pregnancy was in the high-risk category, and her two underweight foetuses of seven months, coupled with a history of an old ailment, required Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) treatment for at least two months, it said.
The treatment required Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh and the family was advised that in case of lack of funds, they could admit the patient to the government-run Sassoon General Hospital for a complicated surgery, it added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced the formation of an inquiry panel under the Pune-based Joint Commissioner of Charity to look into the incident.
