Amid the lockdown enforced due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Congress Party, has accused the Modi Government of corruption on Monday.
The party claimed that the government is spending 145 per cent more for testing kits and is wasting taxpayers' money. Taking to Twitter, the party wrote, "In the midst of a global pandemic & economic catastrophe, why is the BJP govt spending 145% more for testing kits & wasting tax payers money?"
The party claimed that the import cost of the testing kits is Rs 12.25 crore. However, the party said that the cost incurred by the government is Rs 30 crore. Congress said that the middlemen are making a profit of 145 per cent.
The party directly questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wrote, "Modiji we're waiting for your Mann Ki Baat episode on this."
The party added, "We are living in times where courts have to intervene to stop people from profiteering in the middle of a pandemic. The Govt must deal with this issue with all seriousness, investigate and punish the guilty."
On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the strictest action against the alleged profiteering in coronavirus rapid test kits procurement.
"Even when the entire country is fighting COVID-19, some people do not miss out on making unfair profits. Shame, disgust at this corrupt mentality. We demand from the Prime Minister that strictest action should be taken on these profiteers soon," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.
He said that the country will "never forgive" those making an unfair profit by selling testing kits.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Ahmed Patel had targetted the Central government over antibody test kits being purchased for Rs 600 per piece by the ICMR, which were being imported for Rs 245 each. Delhi High Court had on Sunday directed that COVID-19 related tests should be made available to the general public at the lowest cost possible as the country is going through an unprecedented medical crisis affecting public order.
"The country is going through an unprecedented medical crisis affecting public order. People have been cloistered in their homes or constrained to stay wherever they were on March 24. A profit mark-up of Rs 155 that is 61 percent on the landed cost price of Rs 245 is much on the higher side and in any case more than sufficient for the seller," Justice Najmi Waziri had said.
(With ANI inputs)
