Mysore/Mysuru: Putting the blame entirely on the State Government for the suicidal death of Nanjangud Taluk Health Officer (THO) Dr.S.R. Nagendra, former Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayan has demanded a probe by a sitting Judge of the High Court on the death of the THO.

Addressing a press meet at Jaladarshini Guest House here yesterday, R. Dhruvanarayan  held Medical Education Minister Dr.K. Sudhakar, who has been put in charge of COVID Care in the State responsible for the unfortunate incident and sought his immediate resignation. Demanding an impartial probe by a sitting Judge of the High Court, he said that the Government must give a suitable job to the wife of deceased Dr. Nagendra, within a fortnight.

Maintaining that there is a huge staff crunch in the Health Department, the former MP said that 60 percent of medical care jobs in Nanjangud taluk were lying vacant and urged the Government to immediately fill them up.

Alleging a Rs.2,000 crore scam in the purchase of Medical equipment amid the COVID-19 crisis, Dhruvanarayan alleged negligence on the part of the District Minister, who has chosen to stay in Bengaluru, for the high number of COVID-19 deaths in the district.

Accusing the Government of not paying salaries to some of the medical services staff for the past three months, he urged the Government to enhance bed capacity in all Hospitals along with the necessary infrastructure.

Giving details about the Congress party’s ‘Arogya Hastha’ health care programme across the State, Dhruvanarayan said that the programme involves  health check up of scores of people coming under 7,800 Gram Panchayats. A total of 25,000 volunteers have been trained for the conduct of the programme with three volunteers assigned to each GP, he added.

KPCC Spokesperson H.A. Venkatesh, former MLA  Kalale Keshavamurthy, City Congress President R. Murthy, District President Dr.B.J. Vijaykumar and other leaders were present at the press meet.