Chhattisgarh: Baghel says proposed law to acquire private college linked to son-in-law's kin in public interest

Jul 28, 2021

Chattisgarh [India], July 28 : Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday denied the allegation of conflict of interest in the state government's decision to take over a cash-strapped private medical college, owned by kin of his son-in-law, and said the move is in the public interest to protect the "future of a medical college and scores of students".
In a series of tweets, Baghel said he has always done transparent politics and is answerable to the people of the state.
"Various speculations are being made on a news published on Chandulal Chandrakar Medical College. They are all baseless. This is an attempt to save the future of a medical college and hundreds of students in the state. This will save the time of building a new medical college and every year the state will get 150 doctors," Bhagel tweeted.
As far as kinship and vested interests are concerned, the Chief Minister said, "I want to tell the people of my state that Bhupesh Baghel is responsible towards them and he has always done politics with transparency, there will always be transparency in the government. If the deal is done then everything will be clear."
He called the media reports about his vested interest in the proposed law a "controversy stemming from the height of imagination".
"If there is a question of public interest, the government will also buy a private medical college and plant at Nagarnar. We are and will remain in favour of the public sector. We are not selling public property like them," he added.
Notably, the Chhattisgarh government is planning to take over, a financially-strapped medical college owned by a family into which Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's daughter has married, through a Bill.