Bengaluru, February 19 – Asserting that Karnataka's healthcare system is "collapsing," the BJP demanded the resignation of Karnataka's Health Minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, on Thursday.
Opposition Leader R. Ashok stated in Bengaluru on Thursday that, "First, there were reports of shortages of medicines in government hospitals. Now, the Congress government in Karnataka has failed to disburse ₹143.78 crore in dues owed to CT and MRI service providers, which have been pending for the past three years."
"This is not a minor administrative lapse. This is financial paralysis within the Health Department," Ashok said.
Due to this irresponsibility, essential diagnostic services across Karnataka are under threat. If CT and MRI services are disrupted, it will affect poor and middle-class patients, including accident victims, cancer patients, stroke patients, and pregnant women requiring urgent scans, Ashok noted.
The BJP leader said, "What exactly is Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao doing? The Health Department, which has failed to disburse ₹143.78 crore in legitimate dues for three years, cannot claim to care about public health."
"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must answer why ₹143.78 crore was not released, why contractual obligations were ignored for three years, and why the Health Department is pushing life-saving services to the brink," Ashok questioned.
"If the Health Minister cannot ensure timely payments for essential services, he has no moral authority to remain in office. CM Siddaramaiah must take responsibility and immediately remove Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao from the cabinet," Ashok demanded.
Ashok has also released documents submitted to the government seeking the release of the pending amount. The documents state, "Due to the non-release of our rightful dues, the situation has reached a point where the company's financial capacity to continue operations has been entirely exhausted. This leaves us with no option but to make a final request to release an interim payment of ₹50 crore to stabilize our operations."