Row over Chhattisgarh CM proposing to take over private medical college, owner is son-in-law’s family

New Delhi: Bhupesh Baghel govt in Chhattisgarh has proposed to take over a private medical college, which is owned by his son-in-law’s family. The decision to bail out the cash-strapped private college has triggered major controversy as this amounts to spending public money for helping a ‘sinking enterprise’.

The medical college is owned by a family into which CM Bhupesh Baghel’s daughter is married.

This college has been registered by name of Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Hospital (CCMH). Chandulal Chandrakar was five-term MP from Durg and also held the post of Union Minister. He died in 1995. Currently, the Director of CCMH is Mangal Prasad Chandrakar, with 4% holding in the company. He is one of the 59 shareholders.

Why the controversy over acquiring private college

Bhupesh Baghel’s daughter is married to Kshitij Chandrakar, whose father is Vijay Chandrakar, who is the younger brother of CCMH director Mangal Prasad Chandrakar.

According to a leading daily, the medical college made a formal request to the state govt citing its financial difficulties and state govt agreed for the acquisition in ‘public interest’ as many students are studying at college.

Bhupesh Baghel made an announcement in this regard 6 months ago and the state govt has begun proceedings for the same.

BJP tears into Chhattisgarh govt

BJP has launched a vociferous attack on the Baghel govt for acquiring a debt-ridden college and called it a sheer fraud.

“The Congress family has a vast history of corruption. Misusing public money for acquiring a debt-ridden college is sheer fraud. The hard-earned money of the people of Chhattisgarh is not for corruption, but for the development of the state,” Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted.

भ्रष्टाचार का इतिहास अपार, डूबे रहते कांग्रेसी परिवारः कर्ज में डूबे कॉलेज का अधिग्रहण कर जनता के पैसे का दुरुपयोग करना सरासर धोखा है।

छत्तीसगढ की जनता की गाढी कमाई भ्रष्टाचार की भेंट चढाने के लिये नही, बल्कि राज्य के विकास के लिये है।https://t.co/hrKLmmF66q

— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) July 27, 2021

How Acquisition will benefit owners financially

The acquisition raises several questions as the private college is itself under a cloud because of its past. Officials involved in its acquisition have clearly red-flagged 3 issues — CCMH’s total outstanding debt of Rs 125 crore, fraud allegation against the college and the college losing its recognition in 2017.

Though the financial liabilities of college will remain with the owners but the state govt will do an evaluation of movable and immovable assets and will pay the amount to college.
Clearly, the CCMH owners only stand to gain from this decision.