CLP meet: Karnataka Health Minister stands isolated

Belagavi: A day after delivering an emotional speech in the Legislative Council defending the government's move to regulate private hospitals, Health and Family Welfare Minister, K. R. Ramesh Kumar was nearly isolated in the  Congress Legislature (CLP) meeting with several ruling party legislators opposing his move to implement the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill that has provoked the doctors' strike.

It was only after Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah intervened and directed the MLAs not raise the issue until he had discussed it with the Minister, that they let the matter rest, according to  party sources.

But going by the mood at the meeting, the ruling party appears to have made up its mind to dilute some of the key provisions of the KPME Bill to make it seem like a win-win situation  both for Mr Ramesh Kumar and its MLAs who are vehemently against it. 

Later, speaking to reporters, Mr Ramesh Kumar, who seemed in a sombre mood,  refused to answer any questions on the KPME Bill, saying leaders at the CLP   meeting would know better.

Meanwhile,  Social Welfare Minister, H. Anjaneya and Congress MLA, P. M. Narendraswamy are said to have clashed over implementation of the recommendations of the Sadashiva Commission at the meeting. The ruckus reportedly began after a section of Dalit MLAs took objection to the Minister raking up the report, which favours giving more prominence to his own Madiga community in reservations.

When the Minister  defended his stance on the issue, saying reservations had become a mirage for his community,  the uproar worsened , forcing  Mr Siddaramaiah to intervene and inform the CLP that he had decided to convene a meeting of senior Dalit leaders in Bengaluru  to discuss the recommendations of the commission.

But no sooner did the Dalit issue end then another set of MLAs led by M. T. B. Nagaraj  attacked Mr Anjaneya on the allotment of funds to them, raising  slogans like "Vijay Bank! Vijay Bank!" to allege that he was pocketing the money himself.  The  Chief Minister had to intervene once again , assuring the MLAs that he would look into the issue.