Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has dismissed an allegation by the Congress that the BJP Ministers and officers have swindled Rs 2,000 crore in purchase of Covid-19-related medical equipment.
Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, “The Congress party making baseless allegations against the state government is highly regrettable. It is a shame that opposition leaders have chosen such trying times to target the government. The Congress leaders are trying to revive their party by creating a false narrative.”
Addressing a press meet with four other ministers—Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Revenue Minister R Ashok and Labour Minister Shivaram Hebbar, less than a two hours after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief D K Shivakumar held a joint press meet, Sudhakar said, “the opposition leaders are only citing the proposals and estimates for the procurement of Covid-19-related medical equipment and not the approvals or actual expenditure. They have alleged my department has spent Rs 815 crore. But I have documents to prove only Rs 33.46 crore has been spent.”