Thiruvananthapuram | Dr Haris Chirakkal, whose revelations about surgical equipment shortage in the government medical college here kicked off a political storm in the state, on Thursday conceded that the method opted by him to highlight the issue was wrong and he was ready to face punishment for it.

Dr Chirakkal, the Head of the Urology Department at the medical college, said that he chose to highlight the issue through a Facebook post as he had no other option.

"I know the method chosen by me was not correct. It was a mistake on my part. But, I had no other option," the doctor told reporters here.

He made it clear that he had not blamed the state government or its health department and that his post was aimed at the bureaucracy's slow pace and indifference.

"When I put up the post, I did not think it would turn out like this. However, it went much beyond what I had intended to do. I only intended to bring it to the attention of the health department. But, it has affected the CPI(M), the Health Minister, and the CM, all of whom have supported me in the past," he said.

Dr Chirakkal also rejected the opposition UDF's claims that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan used intimidatory remarks to criticise the doctor's move.

He said that he was not afraid of the consequences that would follow his revelations.

"If not here, I will get a job elsewhere. Loss of employment does not concern me. I opted for the government sector to help the common people and not because I could not get a job abroad or in the private sector," he said.

The doctor said that he had handed over all the evidence in connection with his revelations to the committee set up to investigate the matter, and also gave his recommendations to prevent delay in equipment requisition.

He further said that he was ready to face any punishment and had handed over charge of his department, documents, and patients to one of his junior colleagues, so that work could go on smoothly if he faced any action.

Dr Chirakkal said that he has spoken out like this in the past and faced the resultant consequences.

The doctor, in a Facebook post, had recently said that the shortage of essential medical equipment had led to the postponement of surgeries and had alleged that repeated assurances from authorities had failed to resolve the issue, leaving patients in severe pain waiting for timely treatment.