UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati targeted Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her silence on deaths of 100 infants at the JK Lone Hospital in Rajasthan’s Kota district.
Slamming the Congress leader, who had recently gone to UP to protest, Yogi Adityanath wrote: “Had Priyanka Vadra met the aggrieved mothers in Rajasthan, instead of doing political gimmicks in UP, then those families might have got some consolation. They have no concern nor any sympathy. They want to do politics, not public service. The indifference, insensitive, and irresponsible attitude of the Congress government in Rajasthan and of chief minister Ashok Gehlot is sad."
Yogi Adityanath had been targeted by the Opposition including Congress in 2017 when 1317 children had died due to acute encephalitis syndrome. In August, 63 children had died at the hospital after the oxygen supply ran out.
Mayawati slams Priyanka In a series of tweets, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also slammed the Rajasthan government for the death of infants.
"The death of 100 children in Rajasthan's Kota district is very sad and painful. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his government are still insensitive, disinterested and irresponsible, which is highly condemnable," she charged in a tweet.
"But, what is more saddening is the fact that the top leadership of the Congress and especially its lady general secretary maintaining silence over this issue. It would have been better that like she did in UP, she had met the aggrieved mothers, who lost their children due to the laxity of the party's government," she said.
The BSP chief also said, "If the the Congress general secretary does not meet mothers of the deceased children, then her meeting with aggrieved family members of UP will be construed as pure theatrics and political self-interest, which the public of UP should be wary of." At least 100 infants have died at a government-run hospital in Kota in the past month.
Later in a statement, Mayawati said, "The BSP has been opposing the divisive CAA/NRC while the Congress is trying to derive political mileage. This is extremely unfortunate." The party chief also reviewed the preparations for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. Elaborate discussions were held on candidate selection, the statement said.
With the death toll of infants in JK Lon Hospital in Rajasthan's Kota mounting to over 100 in nearly a month, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday that he has written to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, requesting him to look into the matter and assured him of "all kind of support" from the centre on the same.
"I have written a letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot requesting him to look into the matter. We have assured all kind of support from our side. The number of deaths is definitely higher this time compared to last few years," Vardhan said.
He also urged for a joint effort by administration, doctors and others to evaluate the cause and ensure that there was no lack of facility at the hospital.
"I believe that all people concerned, including the state government, hospital administration, doctors should get into the depth of the matter and if they need any sort of help, including the financial assistance, they should ask for it so that there is no lack of facility," he added.
Three more children died in the JK Lon hospital in Rajasthan's Kota district on the first two days of the new year, taking the death toll to 103, an official said on Thursday.
All three died during the treatment. While one was admitted here due to drastic weight loss, the other two were transferred from another hospital.
The three-member state government committee of doctors was sent to investigate the matter on December 23 and 24.
After examining the situation at the hospital, the Rajasthan government committee found that Kota's JK Lone Hospital is short of beds and it requires improvement.
However, the committee gave a clean chit to the doctors for any lapses over the recent death of infants admitted there.
As per the government report, at least 91 infants lost their lives at the government hospital in December, following which, Ashok Gehlot-led government is being targeted by the BJP and other opposition parties in the state.
With inputs from PTI
