Minister Patil denies BJP's allegations over medical equipment procurement

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil on Wednesday forcefully denied the allegations made by the BJP regarding the procurement of medical equipment for government medical colleges. Addressing the accusations during a press conference, he maintained that the entire process was conducted in a fair and transparent manner, strictly adhering to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act and that no irregularities were involved. Dr Patil termed the accusations, which were levelled by BJP spokesperson Ravikumar, as baseless and malicious. He challenged the BJP to present any documents that could substantiate their claims. "We have strictly followed the KTPP Act throughout the procurement process. Tenders were floated, and contracts were awarded to the lowest bidders. The charges against me have no merit without documental proof. Let the BJP come forward with the documents if they have any,” he asserted.

The minister went on to explain the procurement process in detail, outlining each stage of the procedure. He emphasised that there was no room for irregularities under the existing rules. "The procurement documents are in the public domain for anyone to see. The BJP's attempt to tarnish the government's image with these baseless allegations will not succeed," said Dr Patil. He also released a detailed document that outlined the entire procurement timeline, including the initial equipment requests from medical colleges, the government's administrative approval, the state pre-tender scrutiny committee's assessment led by retired judge Ratnakala, the floating of tenders, and the awarding of contracts to the lowest bidders.

Dr Patil assured the public that the companies awarded contracts were of high quality and that the procurement was aimed at enhancing medical education standards in the state. "We are committed to providing quality medical education to students from all backgrounds. This is not a superficial initiative; we are genuinely focused on ensuring that the best equipment is made available to government medical colleges," he added. At the same press conference, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also addressed the allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Recently, the Karnataka High Court dismissed Siddaramaiah's plea to overturn the Governor’s sanction for a probe into the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, in which the Chief Minister is accused of involvement. Despite the legal setback, Shivakumar was quick to defend the Chief Minister and the administration.“These accusations are just that— accusations, with no truth behind them. I am confident that the Chief Minister will come out clean. We have no involvement in the MUDA case, and the Chief Minister has always maintained the highest standards of integrity. His reputation will remain untarnished, and there will be no black mark on our governance,” said Shivakumar, reiterating the administration's commitment to transparency and good governance.