Baghel rejects criticism about Medical College acquisition

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday described as a “height of imagination” the criticism by BJP leaders that the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College was being acquired to benefit his relatives.

Baghel was replying to a series of tweets after media reports charged that the acquisition was being done to benefit Baghel’s son-in-law’s kin.

Baghel tweeted that the government favoured public sector enterprises and so will also acquire Bastar’s Nagarnar plant at the right time.

“We have acted with full transparency as it was a matter of career of students of Chhattisgarh. The state too would benefit as hundreds of doctors would pass out with the restarting of the college,” he added.

The government decision to take over the college has caused a political storm.

The college has 150 medical seats but it has been denied recognition by the Medical Council of India in 2017. The infrastructure of the college building is lying unused since then.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal had accused the Congress of corruption and alleged misuse of public money in the nationalization move.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also charged Baghel with benefitting his son-in-law.

Chhattisgarh Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ravindra Choubey defended the government’s move and said the matter was approved by the state cabinet on July 20.

He denied ass untrue that the move benefits the Chief Minister’s family.