DMK president M.K. Stalin on April 27 charged that the order of the Delhi High Court capping the price of imported antibody test kits at ₹400 had exposed the AIADMK government that had purchased the kit for ₹600.
“When I accused the State government of buying the kits for a higher price, it claimed it had purchased at a price fixed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It is highly condemnable that Health Minister C. Vijaybaskar and IAS officer Umanath, the Director of the Medical Services Corporation, justified the higher price,” Mr. Stalin said in a statement.
He said the Chinese company that produced the kit sold it for just ₹225 and the total price of the kit would be ₹245 when the import charges were included.
Also read: COVID-19 test kits should be made available at lowest cost: Delhi HC
“Now the details submitted before the court had exposed the government led by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. What will be the answer of the government now,” he asked.
Contending that the State government had purchased the kits from a Chennai-based company not recognised by the ICMR, he said it was shocking that the AIADMK government had functioned without any transparency and played with the lives of people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Stalin also pointed to the Delhi High Court observation that public interest should outweigh private gain. He questioned the Tamil Nadu government’s decision of paying ₹600 for a kit priced at ₹245.
“Chief Minister Palaniswami has to give an explaination to the people about the irregularities in the purchase of rapid test kits. He should also explain whether the tests done by using those kits have shown accurate results,” Mr. Stalin said.
He said the Chief Minister cannot avoid answering these questions by calling them politically motivated. “The issue is related to termites eating at the treasury of the government,” he charged.
