‘Withdraw gag on Public Accounts Committee’
Ex-minister H K Patil cites several instances of Covid-related corruption in letter to Assembly Speaker Kageri
BENGALURU:
Former minister H. K. Patil has demanded withdrawal of an order issued by Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri restraining the Public Accounts Committee from probing corruption complaints, calling it an attempt to curtail the powers of the watchdog committee.
Patil’s letter to the Assembly Speaker refers, inter alia, to complaints of corruption in the purchase of Covid-related equipment running into crores, as well as purchase of substandard equipment.
In this connection, it refers to PPE kits purchased through Maharashtra-based Amravati Plasti Surge Industries, testing kits purchased from Chinese companies, ventilators purchased from RK Medical Solutions, Delhi and syringes purchased from Madras Surgicals.
The letter refers to complaints by the Health Department and other government departments about the lack of transparency and compliance with public procurement norms.
ಶಾಸನ ಸಭೆಯ ಸಮಿತಿಗಳ ಸಂವಿಧಾನಾತ್ಮಕ ಬಾಧ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸುವ ವಿಧಾನ ಮಂಡಲದ ಸಮಿತಿಗಳ ಅಧಿಕಾರ ಮೊಟಕುಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಲಘು ಪ್ರಕಟಣೆ 104ನ್ನು ಹಿಂಪಡೆದು ಭ್ರಷ್ಠಾಚಾರವನ್ನು ತನಿಖೆ ಮಾಡುವ ನಿರ್ಭಯ ನಿರ್ಧಾಕ್ಷಿಣ್ಯ ವಾತಾವರಣ ಸೃಷ್ಠಿಸಿ. pic.twitter.com/TGjHRiig3Y
— HK Patil (@HKPatil1953) May 28, 2020
Patil’s letter refers to a missive sent by the Secretary to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly to the Deputy Secretary of the Public Accounts Committee on May 27, which talks of a need to maintain social distance in the interests of health and which goes on to say that ‘it is hereby notified that the Speaker has ordered that no study tours be undertaken in the state or outside the state, nor locally, until further orders.’
Patil has demanded that such an attempt to curtail the authority of the Public Accounts Committee should be immediately withdrawn.
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