Rejection of DMK MLA's fund to Karur medical college spurns controversy

Chennai: The government’s rejection of a Rs 60 lakh fund for coronavirus prevention work at the Karur Government Medical College Hospital from Aravakuchi MLA, V Senthil Balaji, has snowballed into a political controversy with DMK President M K Stalin and Karur MP, Jothimani, speaking out against the government decision.

Balaji, who belongs to the DMK, has allocated of Rs 1,03,71,878 from his MLA Area Development Fund for various hospitals, police stations and other things, of which the major chunk of Rs 60 lakh was for the new Karur Government Medical College Hospital to procure 10 ventilators to treat Covid-19 patients.

But the government rejected the fund, which prompted DMK President, M K Stalin to condemn the government’s move to not take the funds after initially agreeing to accept it and say ‘this is not the time for political chicanery.’   

Stalin’s statement led to chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami clarifying that MLAs can contribute for the development of their constituency alone.

Since Balaji represented Aravakurichi, which is the neighbouring constituency, he is not entitled to allocate his MLA’s Area Development Fund for the hospital in Karur.  

Quick to raise to Balaji’s defense was Jothimani, the Congress MP from Karur, who pointed out, in a tweet, that people from Aravakurichi had to go to Karur Government Hospital for treatment.

In the present situation, in which the government has ordered the transfer of Covid-19 cases in Dindigul and Namakkal districts to Karur hospital, playing ‘#coronapolitics’ will be an injustice committed to the people, she said.

Meanwhile, Balaji, in his statement, said that the administrative permission for the allocation of his MLA fund was first granted on March 28.

Though that order was rejected through another order on March 31, stating that the funds can be allotted only for the benefit of the people of Aravakurichi, it is a fact that all those from Aravakurichi who were affected by Coronavirus were being admitted to the Karur hospital only.

He said he has allotted the fund to procure 10 ventilators that would help the hospital provide medical support to Covid-19 patients, who could also be from Aravakurichi constituency.

He appealed to the state chief secretary to accept the funds and immediately place orders for the ventilators to the hospital.