Recently, gold smuggling-tainted former Kerala Assembly Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan courted controversy when he sought medical assistance from the government to undergo treatment in a Dubai hospital. Rs 37.44 lakh was spent from the government exchequer for Sreeramakrishna’s medical expenses, according to the RTI document received from the Kerala Legislative Secretariat.

These figures were released by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Secretary C R Prankumar. The latest information suggests that the communist regime sanctioned a medical advance of Rs 18 lakh from the treasury, bypassing the rules.

While he was the speaker, Sreeramakrishnan claimed Rs.15,68,313 from the government exchequer for medical expenses from May 2016 to May 2021. Other leaders also visit Dubai for their treatment, and the state pays for all fees paid for medical tours. Such extravagant Dubai treatments come at a time when Kerala state is reeling under a debt of Rs 4 lakh crores.

Interestingly, even after May 2021, as a former MLA, Sreeramakrishnan was allowed medical expenses seven times. Rs.21,75,886 were released for medical costs during this period. Of this, a medical advance of Rs.18 lakhs was permitted. This was beyond the existing rules. In the cabinet meeting on 27 October 2021, the rules were bent to allow Sreeramakrishnan’s medical expenses.

The Marxist leader from Malappuram was advanced Rs.18 lakhs to perform emergency neurosurgery for Parkinson’s disease at Aster Medicity in Ernakulam. Rules stipulate that former MLAs are entitled to free treatment and can seek treatment in the government hospital of that district or, if there is no government hospital, in non-government hospitals of the same district after producing a doctor’s certificate. There are several government hospitals in the state.

Interestingly, per the rules, there is no provision to allow medical advances. The government usually sanctions the cost of treatment after the bills are submitted. This is where rules were thrown to the wind for Sreeramakrishnan.

The government extrajudicially adjusted the amount paid as medical advance to Sreeramakrishnan as medical expenses. The communist leader is now preparing to go to a foreign country to seek treatment for his illness. He is readying to attend King’s College Hospital in Dubai.

Experts allege that there is no better alibi than Parkinson’s for Sreeramakrishnan. He is just 55. Central agencies investigating the gold smuggling scam questioned him. The screws are tightening in that case, and the inquiry is about to be shifted to Bengaluru per Enforcement Directorate’s wishes.

Many claimed that his upcoming Dubai trip was a last-ditch attempt to erase the evidence. Incidentally, Sreeramakrishnan is the same Marxist leader who used to invite UAE Embassy staff, including Swapna Suresh, to his official bungalow and treat them to liquor that cost Rs.25,000 per bottle.

Key conspirators in the gold smuggling case include UAE diplomats and their staff who escaped from Kerala to Dubai. Other tainted communist leaders like Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan (who recently died) have also flown to and out of Dubai several times in the recent past.

Interestingly, this news comes at the same time when Kerala has again emerged as the top-ranking state in terms of overall health performance among larger states, while Uttar Pradesh is the worst, according to the fourth Health Index launched by Niti Aayog.

It shows how misplaced urban-Naxal Babus in Delhi who prepare such rankings are from the ground reality. They also have a habit of being selective about numbers and forgetting statistics. Kerala has a population of around 3.3 crores, while Uttar Pradesh has more than 20. Incidentally, a mere visit to the Ernakulam Government Medical College will prove why Sreeramakrishnan chose a private hospital for his treatment.