Oppn: CPM coming up with ‘justification capsules'
Speaking with the media in Chalakudy, Satheesan alleged that CPM leaders were coming up with several 'justification capsules' even though state's health system was on ventilator and the minister was in the dock (where accused are put in courts). "The health minister has been repeating mistakes one after the other and has been mouthing what PR agencies had briefed," he said.
"Opposition hadn't started criticising health department just after Bindu's death (Kottayam MCH) or after the 'exposes' by Dr Haris Chirakkal (Thiruvananthapuram MCH).
We had been exposing govt for fleecing crores of rupees by selling medicines, which are past expiry dates, through medical services corporation. This govt concealed 27,000 Covid deaths and launched PR propaganda claiming that Kerala was the best state in the world in handling Covid pandemic.
The state now has the highest score in the spread of infectious diseases," he alleged.
Dismissing criticisms that opposition leaders have become 'peddlers of death', Satheesan said CPM leaders deserved that description.
Health deparment a den of corruption: Ramesh
Senior Congress functionary Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday sharply criticised health minister Veena George, calling her incompetent and one who caused serious lapses in the health sector. The chief minister should have sought Veena's resignation before he travelled to the US, he added.
"Kerala's health department has turned into a den of corruption and mismanagement, where the lives of ordinary people are undervalued.
Most ordinary people rely on govt hospitals. The comptroller and auditor general's report submitted in the assembly on Jan 22, 2025, reveals the extent of deterioration in Kerala's health sector, said Ramesh.
"The report highlights that expired medicines were purchased in large quantities and distributed through govt hospitals. These medicines, which wholesalers return to medical stores, were bought by govt for crores of rupees, benefiting companies and intermediaries with huge profits and commissions," he said.
An independent agency should investigate the corruption and commission transactions in the health department, he demanded.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
31 minutes ago
- India Today
Congress invokes Manmohan Singh's legacy as PM Modi set to join Brics summit
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Brazil to attend the BRICS Summit, the Congress on Sunday recalled the events leading up to the formation of the grouping as also the Summit hosted by India in 2012 during which then PM Manmohan Singh had proposed the establishment of a BRICS Development general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "After dropping by in Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Argentina, the Super Premium Frequent Flier Prime Minister has reached Brazil. The Seventeenth BRICS Summit begins today in Rio de Janeiro."advertisementIt was in 1998 that the Arabic-speaking, Asia-leaning, Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov floated the idea of a trilateral forum called RIC -- Russia, India and China, he recalled. This was done to promote multipolarity in global affairs when the US was triumphant, Ramesh said in his post on X."Then in November 2001, Jim O'Neill and his research team at Goldman Sachs in New York came out with a report titled Building Better Global Economic BRICs--Brazil, Russia, India and China that were identified as the four powerhouse economies for the future," he report still makes for very interesting reading, Ramesh at the G8 Summit (Russia was then a member of G7 and was to be excluded post-2014) outreach in St. Petersburg in July 2006, the Presidents of Russia, China, and Brazil, and the Prime Minister of India met and gave their nod to the formation of BRIC, he said."The very first summit of the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - was held in June 2009 in Russia. Dr. Manmohan Singh attended it. In 2010, South Africa joined the quartet which then became known as BRICS. In 2024 Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and UAE joined and this year Indonesia has been inducted," Ramesh that the first time India hosted the BRICS Summit was in March 2012, Ramesh said that at this meeting in New Delhi, it was Dr. Manmohan Singh who had proposed the establishment of a BRICS Development Bank."Three years later, this was to be launched as the New Development Bank headquartered in Shanghai with the eminent Indian banker K.V. Kamath as its first President," he far India has borrowed about USD 8 billion for various urban transport, water supply, renewable energy, and other infrastructure projects, Ramesh also posted the link to the report by Jim O'Neill and his research team at Goldman Minister Modi arrived in Rio de Janeiro on a four-day visit, during which he will participate in the 17th BRICS Summit and undertake a state prime minister was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival at the Galeao International Airport on Saturday evening (local time).advertisementThis is the fourth leg of his five-nation consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has been expanded with five additional members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the visited Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Argentina as part of the five-nation visit. He will travel to Namibia on the last leg of his tour. - EndsMust Watch
India Gazette
44 minutes ago
- India Gazette
UP: CM Yogi pays tribute to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 6 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid floral tribute to Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 125th birth anniversary on Sunday. Addressing the event in Lucknow, CM Yogi remembered Mookerjee's contributions as an educationist and his service during the Bengal famine in 1943. 'It is the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee today. On behalf of the people of the state, I pay tribute to him today. Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born on 6th July 1901. At the age of 33, he became the youngest Vice Chancellor of Calcutta University. He was a great educationist and freedom fighter. The country remembers the service he did during the Bengal famine,' CM Yogi said. The Chief Minister added that Mookerjee resigned from former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet when the government tried to grant a separate status to Jammu and Kashmir. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled Syama Prasad Mookerjee's dream and brought Jammu and Kashmir into the mainstream. CM Yogi said, 'His life was dedicated to the unity of India. He resigned from the first Nehru cabinet due to its appeasement policies. When the Nehru government tried to give a separate status to Jammu & Kashmir, he raised the first voice against Narendra Modi has realised the dreams of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee by bringing Jammu & Kashmir into the mainstream.' Earlier on Sunday, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and other party leaders paid floral tributes to Syama Prasad Mookerjee at an event organised in Delhi. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological parent organisation of the BJP. Born on July 6, 1901, in Calcutta, was a multifaceted personality - patriot, educationist, parliamentarian, statesman, and humanitarian. He became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta in 1934. He later joined the Hindu Mahasabha and, in 1937, united non-Congress forces to form a Progressive Coalition government under the leadership of Fazal-ul-Haq, with himself as the Finance Minister. Mookerjee resigned from the Bengal Cabinet in November 1942, protesting against the Governor's interference in administration and criticising provincial autonomy as ineffective. His humanitarian efforts during the Bengal famine of 1943, including relief initiatives, highlighted his commitment to serving society. Post-independence, he joined the interim government under Jawaharlal Nehru as Minister for Industry and Supply. According to the BJP's official website, on the issue of the Delhi pact with Likayat Ali Khan, Mookerjee resigned from the Cabinet on April 6, 1950. Later on October 21, 1951, Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in Delhi and became its first president. Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 and was arrested on May 11. He died under detention on June 23, 1953. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
'Crime capital of India': Rahul Gandhi slams Nitish, BJP over Patna murder
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the murder of prominent businessman in Patna, blaming them for making the state 'crime capital of India.' The businessman, Gopal Khemka ,was shot dead near his residence in the Gandhi Maidan area late Friday night by a bike-borne assailant. Police said the incident occurred around 11:40 pm as he was about to get out of his car. His son had also been murdered in Hajipur seven years ago. 'Every murder is a cry for change': Rahul Gandhi In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, 'The brazen murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has once again proven that the BJP and Nitish Kumar together have turned Bihar into India's crime capital. Today, Bihar lives in the shadow of loot, gunfire, and murder. Crime has become the new normal here — and the government is utterly ineffective.' 'Brothers and sisters of Bihar, this injustice can no longer be tolerated. A government that cannot ensure the safety of your children cannot be entrusted with your future either,' he added. The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha called upon voters to bring change in the upcoming assembly elections. 'Every murder, every loot, every bullet is a cry for change. Now is the time for a new Bihar — where there is no fear, only progress. This time, the vote is not just to change the government, but to save Bihar,' he said. Political backlash, SIT formed The murder, coming just months ahead of the state assembly polls, has drawn strong reactions from opposition leaders. Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav called it a 'horrible' incident and criticised the state's law enforcement. 'The CM is unconscious and tired; officers are running the government,' he told news agency ANI. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan visited Khemka's family and assured that law and order agencies would be made more proactive. 'I hope strict action will be taken under the law as soon as possible,' he said. The Bihar police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), including officials from the Special Task Force and central district police, to investigate the case. (With inputs from agencies)
