West Bengal: BJP demands statement from Mamata Banerjee over Adenovirus deaths

Kolkata: Amidst rise in death of children due to Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), the BJP legislators on Thursday demanded a statement on Adenovirus from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee about the recent deaths caused due to the infection. Mamata is also the state health minister. 

After the permission for discussion on this issue was rejected in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the BJP MLAs walked out of the House and staged a protest outside the Assembly.

Opposition alleges govt ‘hiding facts, figures’

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the state government is ‘hiding’ facts and figures.

“The state government is trying to hide facts and figures about the deaths caused due to Adenovirus. We wanted a discussion on this in the House but we were not allowed,” mentioned Adhikari.

Incidentally, on Monday Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that 19 people have died recently out of which 13 had died ‘due to comorbities’.

Minister of state for finance Chandrima Bhattacharya alleged that the opposition party 'unnecessarily created ruckus’ inside the House.

“Our Chief Minister had already spoken on this issue and no one had asked the opposition to remain absent during her speech and then create unnecessary ruckus,” claimed Chandrima.

A doctor of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on anonymity said that the rate of affected children is on a ‘decline’.