By The News Observer Desk,
Karwar: Former Karwar–Ankola MLA Roopali Naik has strongly criticized Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and local MLA Satish Sail, accusing the Congress-led state government of attempting to inaugurate the Government Medical College (KRIMS) without providing any essential facilities.
Addressing the media in Karwar on Thursday, Ms Naik alleged that the Congress government was trying to claim credit for a project entirely sanctioned and developed during the previous BJP administrations.
https://youtu.be/ZE8fnHMMwL0
She asserted that the medical college was originally sanctioned during the tenure of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, and that major infrastructural support was provided under the BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai.
“The Congress government has not contributed even a single paisa to KRIMS, yet they shamelessly want to inaugurate it as if it is their achievement,” she said.
‘No MRI, No Facilities — People Forced to Travel 350 km’
Ms Naik added that the government had promised two multispecialty hospitals in Uttara Kannada but “did absolutely nothing” after coming to power. Even today, she claimed, KRIMS does not have a functioning MRI machine, forcing patients to travel nearly 350 km for basic scanning services.
“What morality do they have to inaugurate a medical college built entirely by the BJP? The Congress has played no role in developing it,” she questioned.
₹150 Crore Sanctioned Earlier, But ₹30 Crore Still Pending
Turning her focus to the ongoing Super Specialty Hospital project, Ms Naik expressed deep frustration over what she called deliberate delays by the state government in releasing funds.
She said that during the BJP government, she had submitted 32 separate requests for the hospital, eventually securing ₹150 crore from then CM Yediyurappa. This funding, she noted, allowed construction of a massive hospital building, which is now nearing completion.
However, she alleged that an additional ₹30 crore, earmarked specifically for crucial medical equipment, has not been released by the current government.
As a result, several essential facilities—particularly diagnostic tools like an MRI machine—remain unavailable.
Warns of Public Protest if CM Attempts Inauguration
Ms Naik slammed any proposal to inaugurate the facility without operational services, calling it an insult to the people of Uttara Kannada.
“We will vehemently oppose the Chief Minister’s visit if he comes merely to inaugurate an empty building,” she warned.
“If the ₹30 crore is not released and the Chief Minister still arrives for an inauguration, people will be forced to raise slogans of protest and condemnation.”
Public Concern Growing Over Long-Delayed Hospital
The issue has triggered rising concern among local residents, many of whom have been waiting for years for a fully functional super specialty hospital in the district—one equipped to reduce their dependency on distant cities for critical medical care.
Reporting and Videography by Saikiran Babrekar
