The ongoing tussle between private doctors and the government over amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act led to an emotional outburst by Health Minister Ramesh Kumar in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, when he offered to retire from public life if poor people thought the amended legislation would bring hardships to them.
After BJP’s Mahanthesh Kavatagimath referred during the Zero Hour to reports in a section of the media that alleged that deaths had occurred owing to lack of medical care during doctors’ ‘Belagavi Chalo’ protest against the amendment Bill, Mr. Ramesh Kumar broke into an emotional speech.
He said he was deeply pained by remarks made by Leader of the Opposition K.S. Eshwarappa. He went on to give details about his children (in the response to the latter’s statement that he had no children). He went on to say that his son had called him to enquire whether he (Ramesh Kumar) was convicted by any court for “murder”, considering the allegations being heaped on him by the Opposition.
Mr. Ramesh Kumar said although he could have moved a privilege motion, he did not do so as it had lost its sanctity now.
The Minister said there was a consensus in the House on the amendments to KPME Act. “Even the Joint Select Committee has not found fault with it. Although I disagree with RSS workers’ ideologically, I would like you (Mr. Eshwarappa) to organise a meeting of RSS workers and commoners. I will put before them the details. If they feel that this amendment will cause hardships to the poor, then I will retire from public life,” Mr. Ramesh Kumar announced. He concluded his remarks asking Mr. Eshwarappa to “kindly” give details about the case in which murder charges had been proved against him so that he could seek legal remedy.
Later in the day, the report of the Joint Select Committee on the KPME (Amendment) Bill was tabled in both the Houses.
