Karnataka COVID-19 ‘scam’: BJP govt. profited during the pandemic even as lives lost, says Priyank Kharge

Sat Nov 09 07:14:18 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka Minister Accuses BJP of “Corona Corruption” During Pandemic

**Bengaluru, November 9, 2024:** Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Priyank Kharge, has accused the previous BJP government of profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic while people were losing their lives. His statement follows the release of extracts from Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s report on alleged irregularities in the import of PPE kits during the pandemic.

The D’Cunha report recommends criminal prosecution of former Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa and former Health Minister B. Sriramulu for allegedly importing 3 lakh PPE kits from two Chinese firms without tenders in April 2020.

Kharge, in a statement on X, called this instance “only the tip of the iceberg” and vowed to expose the “complete #CoronaCorruption saga of the BJP”. He questioned why local suppliers were overlooked and why the then Chief Minister imported PPE kits from China without Central Government approval.

Kharge also challenged the BJP State President to take responsibility for the party’s actions, calling the situation a “blatant case of quid pro quo.”