Amid a spike in the COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday accused the State government of indulging in corruption in the purchase of ventilators at a much higher rate than the prevailing market rate.
Speaking to private television channels, he said the BJP government has been siphoning off funds in the name of fighting against the pandemic.
The Congress leader alleged that while Tamil Nadu government had purchased a ventilator at ₹4.78 lakh, the State government had procured the same ventilator at ₹18.2 lakh. He urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to offer an explanation for the exorbitant price paid for ventilators in the state.
Mr. Shivakuamar tweeted: “Corona corruption of BJP government is exposed in this ventilator purchase scam.” “TN Govt purchases at ₹4.78 lakh per ventilator, Karnataka Govt has purchased it at ₹18.2 lakh per ventilator! CM @BSYBJP, answer us on this corruption by your govt,” he said. Terming it as the “biggest scandal in the last 60 years in the State”, the KPCC chief said: “I have cross-checked the information and it stands to be true. We want Mr. Yediyurappa to answer our questions on ventilator procurement in the State.”
