KCR makes Etela Rajendar scapegoat to hide his failures: Dr Sravan Dasoju

Congress National Spokesperson Dr. Sravan Dasoju alleged that the CM had hatched a conspiracy against the "sincere Backward Community (BC) Leader and a great Telangana fighter", who has been sincerely serving the people of Telangana.

"It is unfortunate that Eatala Rajender is being made as a scapegoat by CM KCR to cover up his failures in combating the pandemic. KCR is believed to have cornered the minister with wide allegations of land grabbing only to defame him among the people. KCR refused funds to the health department. He refused to include Covid-19 treatment in Arogyasri. He didn't allow to recruit the doctors, nurses, and other health care staff with an intention to present Eatala Rajender as a villain before the people. Despite all these odds, the minister discharged his duties with sheer dedication and devotion", he said.

The AICC leader demanded action against all the land grabbing ministers including Malla Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar and KT Rama Rao.

"Why is only BC minister being targeted? Justice must be equal to everyone then. Why are you sparing other ministers, MLAs, and your own son KTR? No one knows on what basis the SC leader and the then Deputy CM Rajaiah was removed from the Cabinet. No one knows what is going to happen to Eatala", Dr. Sravan said.

He slammed KCR for making Telangana a `Bemari state' instead of `Bangaru state'. He said KCR had earlier promised to build NIMS-like Hospitals in every district, 50 Bed capacity hospitals in every Mandal, and facelift the whole health care infrastructure. However, it proved to be a pipe dream because KCR has failed to provide sufficient funds. Instead of building proper healthcare infrastructure and filling up 30,000 vacancies in the health department, KCR has derailed the entire system, he said.

The AICC leader blamed Telangana government for indirectly helping the black marketing of Remdesivir. He said the drug is being sold at Rs 1,00,000 against the MRP of about Rs 21,000.

Dr. Sravan asked KCR to take serious action against the culprits. The senior Congress party leader lashed out at the chief minister for not controlling the Covid-19 treatment charges in private hospitals.

"At a time when the second wave of Covid-19 is battering the state, the private companies, and private hospitals are looting the people with exorbitant charges. People are reportedly forced to buy Remdesivir in black to save their kin. However, the government and the Chief Minister is simply ignoring the intensity of the situation. Despite the fact that the government is fully aware of the situation, it had adamantly failed in making necessary arrangements of beds, oxygen, ventilators, and testing facilities in the state", Dr. Sravan said.

The AICC leader lambasted the government for mismanagement of the COVID crisis. "Not implementing of Arogyasri for Covid-19 treatment, not recruiting an adequate number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, not restricting the testing and treatment charges at private diagnostics centers and private hospitals, not maintaining enough beds, ventilators and oxygen are some of the best examples of poor management of the state government," he said

He said there are only 40,000 beds available in Telangana for a population of 4 crores. He said less than 15,000 ICU beds are available. "All the ICU beds have already been occupied. Our state requires super specialty hospitals at par with NIMS in every district and at least 50 bedded hospitals in each Mandal headquarters. We need more than one lakh doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals, health volunteers to effectively address the prevailing situation. We don't want a new secretariat or Yadadri Temple development. Need of the hour is hospitals, beds, and healthcare staff", Dr. Sravan said.