Bengaluru: The Justice John Michael Cunha Commission has identified “procedural lapses, dereliction by officials, and corruption” in the management of Covid-19 during the tenure of the previous BJP government, according to IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge. The findings were disclosed during an informal discussion between the Commission and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah when the interim report was submitted on Saturday. Kharge was present during the conversation.
However, Kharge clarified that the full details of the report would only be available once the Chief Minister presents it to the Cabinet. “But officially, I don’t have full information on what’s in the report. We’ll know once the CM brings the report before the Cabinet,” he said.
‘Mega Loot’ Allegations
Industries Minister M B Patil also weighed in, alleging that “thousands of crores were looted” during the pandemic. Patil criticised the previous administration for lacking humanitarian concern during the crisis, suggesting that even in such dire times, corruption persisted. He specifically implicated former Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, now the Chikballapur MP, in the alleged misdeeds.
On August 31, the Justice Cunha Commission submitted a detailed 1,722-page report to Siddaramaiah, covering the procurement of Covid-19 supplies worth Rs 7,223 crore.
Government’s Commitment to Accountability
Priyank Kharge assured that the current government would ensure a “logical end” to all the scams that allegedly occurred during the BJP’s rule. “In the Assembly, the CM provided a trailer by listing out 21 scams. We’ll take all of them to the logical end,” he asserted. Kharge also mentioned potential corruption within Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd, indicating that the investigation might extend to other sectors.
Kharge criticised the BJP for allegedly misusing central agencies like the CBI, IT, and ED, claiming that they have wrongfully interfered without any just cause. “Without us doing anything wrong, the BJP is misusing CBI, IT, ED, and Raj Bhavan. BJP has done corruption. They made money off dead bodies,” he stated.
BJP’s Preemptive Response
Kharge also mocked Dr Sudhakar for announcing a legal battle even before the report’s contents were made public. “We don’t know what’s in the report. How did they (BJP) find out? Why are they preemptively talking about fighting this legally? We’ve not named anybody,” he said. Despite the BJP’s reactions, Kharge maintained that the government is serious about thoroughly investigating Covid-19-related irregularities.
Meanwhile, Home Minister G Parameshwara, speaking in Tumakuru, confirmed that the term of the commission has been extended by eight months, allowing for a more comprehensive investigation.