Assam govt denies involvement of CM's family in supply of PPE kits

Government spokesman asks, ‘‘Why are the two organisations (who made the claims) not going to the Court if they have evidence?”

The Assam government on Saturday refuted allegations by a section of the media that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's family was involved in alleged malpractices in the supply of PPE kits during the pandemic.

Government spokesman Pijush Hazarika said there was no scam in the supply of PPE kits and no member of the chief minister's family were involved in the supply of any material related to the COVID pandemic.

The allegations are ''false, imaginary, malicious and can be attributed as the handiwork of a certain section with vested interests,'' Mr. Hazarika, who is also the state's minister for water resources and information and public relations told reporters here.

''Why are the two organisations (who made the claims) not going to the Court if they have evidence instead of making false and baseless allegations?'' he added.

On June 1 two digital media organisations in a joint investigative report claimed that the Assam government had placed four COVID-19 related emergency medical supply orders most likely without following proper process.

During the outbreak of the pandemic two years ago, none knew how to deal with the situation and experts said that PPE could provide full protection to deal with COVID infection. But there was no firm in Assam which manufactured the kits, while many other states had stopped transporting them as they themselves needed those, Mr. Hazarika said.

''During an emergency situation, it is not possible to follow the general rules and regulations. The Cabinet had taken a decision that a committee will be formed and if its members gave the nod to buy the necessary kits and equipment to deal with the situation, then it can be bought,'' Mr. Hazarika, who was then the minister of state for health, said.