Siddaramaiah, ministers continue to spar over 'irregularities' in COVID-19 equipment procurement
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and Ministers of the ruling BJP in Karnataka continued to spar on Friday over charges of corruption in the procurement of COVID-19 equipment and supplies, with the LoP demanding to know why the government was afraid of constituting a Judicial Commission to probe the matter.
Siddaramaiah had on Thursday released documents comprising statistics to support his claims of corruption.
Minister R Ashoka rejected his demand, saying the allegations were baseless and politically motivated, aimed at demoralizing officials working against COVID.
"Order and constitute a judicial commission...let a sitting High Court judge inquire and let the truth come out... whatever documents they (govt) have, let them place it before the judicial commission. We will place whatever we have," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "if I'm lying and you (Ministers) are telling the truth, constitute a judicial commission.
Why are you afraid of a judicial commission? why are you saying that there will be no inquiry? I reiterate and demand strongly that the government order for a judicial commission."
Siddaramaiah on Thursday had alleged that the total expenditure of the government relating to COVID was Rs 4,167 crore, of which at least Rs 2,000 crore was "pocketed" by ministers and officials.
Refuting this, five Ministers, including Ashoka, had held a press conference on Thursday, in which they said the overall expenditure of the government is Rs 2,118 crore, with Rs 1,611 crore going for COVID relief measures and Rs 506 crore for purchase of medical equipment.
Hitting back at Siddaramaiah for his comments on Friday, Ashoka said the government on July 23 had given a 'sufficient reply' to the charges and made it clear that everything was transparent.
The opposition has no face after our clarification," he said.
"....we will decide if an inquiry is required or not. We need not learn from him (Siddaramaiah)...if we go on ordering an inquiry into things they demand, the whole police force will not be enough. Leveling such baseless charges is like an addiction for them," he said.
The Minister also reminded Siddaramaiah that he is the leader of the opposition, not the Chief Minister.
"He (Siddaramaiah) cannot order us. He can give suggestions to the government," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
1,000 buses checked in Andhra, over 200 penalised for violations: Transport minister
_vb_18.jpeg)
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Transport Minister M Ramprasad Reddy on Saturday said over 1,000 buses have been checked across the state and 236 penalised for lacking proper documents.
Reddy's remarks come in the wake of four ghastly bus accidents claiming 45 lives, of these 33 charred to death, and injuring several others within six months.
"We are taking intense action to avoid road accidents. Across the state, we checked 1,036 buses. Cases have been registered, and penalties were slapped against 236 buses without proper documents," he said in an official press release.
According to the minister, authorities have undertaken checks at 16 points, including toll plazas and check-posts, across the state.
The transport minister promised regular checking drives and stringent action against violations.
Reddy asserted that the government gives 'primacy to passenger safety' and called on everybody to adhere to the law.
