Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Congress terms children deaths ‘murder,’ demands CM Yogi’s resignation

The UP Congress on Sunday termed the children deaths in Gorakhpur’s BRD hospital “murder” and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister, saying if he was unable to handle his home district, how will he run the state.

“70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder. This government is a killer and I want to ask how many more children will be killed,” Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar, addressing a press conference said.

“When a chief minister is unable to handle a medical college in his home district, how would he run the state? He should immediately resign from his post,” he said.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath who visited Gorakhpur after 48 hours of the incident hit back at Congress and said the party should show sensitivity and not politicise the issue.

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“When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union health minister, he had said that he cannot do anything since health is a state subject. The people whose sensitivity has died are now unnecessarily rubbing salt in the wounds by raising a sensitive issue. I have come here to find a solution to the issue, else otherwise I would not have made frequent trips to this place,” he told reporters.

State Health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh, while slamming the Congress said in politics, the Opposition’s job is not only to just criticise, but do so in a constructive manner.

Babbar demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the victim’s parents and said a case of murder should be lodged against those who are found guilty. He said the Congress would run a state-wide campaign on the issue.

He hailed the media for the “unbiased reporting” on the issue and said, “Who will decide it was death or murder? The entire focus of the government is on cow-slaughter, singing of Vande Matram, where the flag is being hoisted on August 15”.

The Congress leader said that under the UPA government, Rs 150 crore was given to the BRD medical college hospital and a 100-bed ward was also constructed.

(With Inputs from PTI)