Assam CM’s wife rebuts reports of irregularities in PPE orders during 2020 lockdown
The Chief Minister’s wife also shared the NHM’s appreciation letter issued to her company JCB Industries for making the PPE kits available at short notice.
New Delhi: Assam CM’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma on Wednesday issued a strong rebuttal to reports of irregularities and use of political stature in getting ‘urgent’ contract for supplying PPE kits during the Covid-19 pandemic & subsequent lockdown in March 2020.
Terming it a malicious propaganda by the publication, she said that the news report is bereft of truth and is only levelling unfounded accusation.
The Wire, citing a couple of RTIs, reported that Riniki Sarma bagged the emergency supply orders for PPE kits from Assam Health ministry when her husband Himanta Biswa Sarma was the health minister. It also claimed that no tenders were issued for allotting the contract and was arbitrarily handed over to the companies of Sarma’s wife & family associates.
Tearing into the report, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma says that as the nation was staring at an unprecedented crisis, she reached out to the National Health Mission (NHM) of Assam, through a business acquaintance and offered to supply PPE kits as part of her Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The NHM issued a work order following which her company took up the project in national service.
The Chief Minister’s wife also shared the NHM’s appreciation letter issued to her company JCB Industries for making the PPE kits available at short notice. In the letter, the NHM says that this went a long way in shielding the health workers from deadly virus and also strengthening fight against Covid-19.
Riniki Bhuyan Sarma further said that her company has always been transparent in business dealings while she has always believed in giving it back to the society, irrespective of his husband’s political standing.
“If only such propaganda websites were to do things beyond paying mere lip service in times of crisis, India would be in a better place,” said Sarma taking a caustic jibe at the publication.
Riniki Bhuyan Sarma says that she has highest regard for the motherland and will always stand true in her service.