Siddaramaiah, DKS accuse state govt of misappropriating Rs 2,200 cr COVID-19 fund

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President DK Shivakumar on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe against alleged misappropriation of funds by the state government. Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar questioned the ruling BJP government as to why it had paid excess amounts of money to procure medical equipment.

Leader of Opposition, Siddaramaiah said that based on information provided from the Health Secretary, the government had spent Rs 4,147 crore to procure Personal Protection Kits (PPE), masks, surgical gloves, oxygen cylinders, ventilators, hand sanitisers and other essentials. He said that the government could have procured the same equipment for Rs 2,100 crore.

"The government overpaid for ventilators. The cost was Rs 4 lakh per ventilator but the government paid Rs 12 lakh. As on March 9 this year, Pastisurge, a Maharashtra-based company had bid to sell PPE kits for Rs 330 per kit. But the government imported it from China. As many as 3 lakh PPE kits were imported and the government paid Rs 2,117 for each of these kits. That is almost seven times more. When there are companies selling it in India for cheaper rates, why did the government not buy? This is public money we are talking about, of course we have to ask," an enraged Siddaramaiah lashed out against the BJP government during the Assembly session.

In July this year, the Congress had held a press conference and made similar allegations that funds for COVID-19 were being misappropriated by the government. Siddaramaiah demanded that the government give out a detailed account of  how much money was spent for COVID-19 and why. He further stated that the government lacked transparency and that he, being the Leader of Opposition, was unable to procure information from the government.

"You say that I am lying, I say that you are lying. Then show us the accounts. Any citizen has the right to demand and ask questions of the government. You claim that your government is transparent, then show us the accounts. I am entitled to know under the constitution. Why are you silent about this?" Siddaramaiah questioned.

The ruling party, however, did not answer his questions.

KPCC President and Kanakapura MLA DK Shivakumar also demanded a judicial probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds. He said that the state government had failed to help the farmers, who are suffering huge losses due to the fallout of the pandemic.

"Farmers, flower sellers, were not able to sell their produce as the markets were shut and rates fell drastically. Carrots were selling at Rs 2 at one point. Grapes were selling at Rs 10. The Agriculture Department said they would intervene. Who intervened? How did you help them? Where are the accounts? Look at the impact of the government’s inaction. When we pointed out, no action was taken,"  Dk Shivakumar said.

When interrupted by Speaker Vishweshwar Hedge Kageri, who reminded him that it was time for recess, DK Shivakumar lashed out."If we have done anything wrong, we are ready to face any type of inquiry. Why is the government not launching a judicial probe into the misappropriation of funds? From distributing food kits to compensation to families of the dead, there are scams everywhere. In Ballari, they went and threw dead bodies on the road and the government just watched. They had to use a JCB to take out the body of the dead," an angry Shivakumar said.

He said that the state government must answer the opposition's questions with detailed accounts of where public funds were spent. "Let there be an inquiry. We are ready to face it.  If the government had nothing to hide, they should have agreed to a probe," he added.