Quoted out of context, says Murugesh Nirani

BJP MLA Murugesh Nirani has dismissed Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah’s claim that he wanted to submit a pen drive that supposedly had proof of irregularities in Covid-19 procurement.

In a statement, Nirani said that his remarks about a person from Vijayapura - who had come to Bengaluru to submit documents over irregularities in Covid-19 equipment procurement to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) - were misinterpreted.

““I neither met that person after the meeting nor am I acquainted to him,” he said, adding that the Opposition must refrain from using his remarks for political gain.

On allegations that disgruntlement over being left out of the cabinet had triggered the remarks, he said that the incident was not connected to the issue. “Inducting me to the Cabinet is left to the discretion of high command and the chief minister,” he added.

On Wednesday, Siddaramaiah tweeted a document purported to be the minutes of the PAC meeting to claim that Nirani had submitted a pen drive with documents regarding Covid-19 irregularities.