Team Herald

PANJIM: Terming the Herald report on “Rs 10.30 cr spent on MLAs but Common man left to die” as baseless and absurd,  Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday also defended the expenditure on treatment of MLAs.

“I want to assure you all to not panic & pay heed to fake news circulated by certain media publications,” Rane said in a tweet. 

In a series of other tweets, Rane questioned why elected representatives should be deprived of best medical services. “With due respect to & in absolute agreement to every common man’s right to best medical services, why should their elected representatives be deprived of the same? @oheraldogoa,” Rane tweeted.

He also defended expenses of Rs 5.72 cr on former chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s treatment. “Living with cancer is not easy & trivialising Shri #ManoharParrikar Ji's painful death by equating it with the medical expenses is nothing less than loathsome. @oheraldogoa,” the health minister said.

He added, “It is heartbreaking that a certain section of media refuses to let a dead man rest in peace & that too the one who served #Goa selflessly! Speaks volumes about your ethics & conscience @oheraldogoa. Your news will last a day, Late Shri #Parrikar Ji’s legacy will last forever!”

He further said that there is no dearth of finance for the health care sector in the State, due to which people’s faith in GMC has been increasing.

He said that the load on the hospital has been increasing, which would be eased after the upcoming super speciality block near the existing hospital is completed.

“The comparison between the health care sector and money spent on the ministers including former CM Manohar Parrikar for their treatment outside the state is absurd and unwarranted,” Rane said. “What is the problem if money is spent on the MLAs. Even during the Congress regime, the money was spent on the ailing leaders like then MLA Gurudas Gawas,” he said.

The minister added, “Contribution of Manohar Parrikar is huge and it cannot be quantified in terms of money.”  “It is the responsibility of the State government to take care of the health of the MLAs and the leaders who work for the people of Goa,” he said.

Rane said that well-equipped hospital project getting completed in South Goa’s Margao town. “The District Hospital in South Goa would be completed in time under the leadership of CM Pramod Sawant. The hospital will be a new model and it will have all the facilities so that the people don’t have to travel to GMC for their treatment,” he added.