BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has landed in yet another controversy after a company, with which his son is associated, was awarded a contract to set up a diagnostic laboratory at the state-run Victoria Hospital here. The hospital is administered by the Medical Education Department.
While Siddaramaiah refused to react, government sources said the CM has taken the issue seriously and is likely to cancel the contract.Siddaramaiah’s younger son Dr Yatindra is associated with Matrix Imaging Solutions that has proposed to set up a laboratory on the hospital premises.
Opposition BJP has termed it a conflict of interest as the company associated with the CM’s son is providing services to the government and benefiting from it. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar has accused the CM of violating the code of conduct by helping his son’s business. “Members of ministers or the chief minister’s family rendering service or supplying goods to government agencies amounts to violation of this code of conduct,” Shettar said.
Siddaramaiah and Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil’s explanation that they were unaware of Yatindra’s association with the company during the tender process failed to convince the opposition, which is demanding that the contract be revoked. The government, however, seems to be firm in its decision. “Being a son or a family member of a minister or a politician itself cannot be a ground for disqualification. We should not try to politicise the issue and find fault with the chief minister or his son,” Health Minister U T Khader said.
Reacting to the developments, Patil denied any irregularity in the tender process. “The diagnostic lab has been set up by adhering to all the rules and norms. The tender has been awarded to the company that was the lowest bidder. So there is no question of taking any action,” Patil said.
Ugrappa Hits Back, Says ‘Read Rules’
Congress spokesperson V S Ugrappa, a close confidant of Siddaramaiah, hit back at Jagadish Shettar by quoting the code of conduct for ministers which, he said, states: “Minister’s family shall include his/her wife or husband, as the case may be, not legally separated from each other, minor children, and any other persons related by blood or marriage to, and wholly dependent on, the minister.”
“So, going by this definition, the chief minister’s son, who is an adult and not dependent on his father, cannot be considered a member of the CM’s family,” he said.
Instead of attacking Yatindra, Shettar should congratulate him as the diagnostic centre is set to offer its services at a low cost — 20 per cent less than the cost charged by government diagnostic centres.
Doctor Son Offers to Quit
Yatindra told a private television channel that he was unaware of the norms that restricts ministers and chief minister’s family members from providing services to the government. He also said he does not want to cause any embarrassment to his father and will disassociate himself from the firm.