HASSAN: The COVID-19 review meeting held here on Monday saw a war of words between the minister in charge of the district JC Madhuswamy and former minister HD Revanna.
Madhuswamy said that he will not allow other issues to be discussed as the meeting was called exclusively for COVID-19. Opposing this, an angry Revanna stood up and said he would boycott the meeting if the minister did not give permission to discuss other issues. But he suddenly changed his decision and decided to stay on.
Earlier, Madhuswamy directed the deputy commissioner R Girish and district health and family welfare officer Dr Satish to take action against government doctors for allegedly referring patients to private hospitals. The deputy commissioner should also warn 108 ambulance drivers of action if they forcibly take patients to private hospitals, he said.
The MLAs also demanded ventilators for taluk hospitals in their assembly constituencies. Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna urged the district incharge minister to take steps to release additional food grains for PDS system.
The COVID-19 meeting also witnessed a heated exchange between Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and Hassan MLA Preetam J Gowda over the alleged sale of liquor in a bar and restaurant belonging to a follower of Preetam. Raising the issue, the MP demanded the minister take action against the owner of the bar.
Taking the MP to task for dragging his name into the issue, an angry Preetam said that excise officials should check all 360 licenced liquor shops and bars/restaurants and take action. Additional Secretary Rakesh Singh and District Incharge Secretary Navinraj Singh were mute spectators during the verbal duel.