Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Walkout over graft charge

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) members staged a walkout in the Assembly during zero hour on the concluding day of the budget session on Tuesday alleging corruption in the purchase of drugs by Kerala State Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL).

The Opposition, which sought adjournment of the proceedings of the House to discuss the issue, accused the government of trying to shield the corrupt officials and intimidate the media which had tried to expose the corrupt deals.

However, Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy strongly refuted the charges and claimed that the drug purchases were free from any instance of corruption.

She also accused sections of the media of having come up with unfounded allegations to destroy the KMSCL. The Opposition members walked out of the House taking exception to the Minister’s response and in protest against what they termed attempts to muzzle the media.

Seeking leave for the motion, V.D. Satheesan (Congress) alleged that an attempt was on to initiate a Vigilance case against the mediapersons who had investigated the corrupt deals in the Corporation. The move for the Vigilance investigation originated at a meeting convened by the Health Minister following a series of reports about irregularities in the drug purchases, which included purchase of drugs that had earlier been blacklisted, he said.

The Health Minister said there was no question of the government initiating any investigation against the mediapersons who had done the stories about the Corporation.

However, she termed the reports malicious and intended only to undermine the credibility of the KMSCL. The Corporation was set up as part of efforts to overhaul the drug purchase system that had been in existence in the State for the last 50 years. Those who have been put at a disadvantage because of the new drug purchase practices of the Corporation would naturally want to destroy it, she said.

The Minister said the practice of the Corporation was to blacklist the drugs and not the manufacturers. The allegation about Vigilance investigation had come as a result of a letter written by the employees seeking an investigation to clear their names in the wake of a news report which claimed that some of the employees had been bribed.

Before leading his UDF colleagues out of the House, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy sought to know why the government was not taking action against the erring manufacturers.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said there was no question of the government ordering any such Vigilance investigation and added that the government would take true reports of irregularities in all seriousness.

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