Cong targets Centre over Gorakhpur deaths

UP TRAGEDY Says govt must answer: How was the oxygen supply cut? Why were funds not provided on time? Who is responsible?

Congress on Monday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the Gorakhpur tragedy and asked him to apologise to the nation in his Independence Day address for the negligence that led to the deaths of more than 60 children in a state-run hospital.

The main opposition party also demanded the resignations of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath and the state health minister on moral grounds.

“It is surprising that the PM tweets on every issue — be it some mishap in Turkey, US, UK or Europe. But he hasn’t spoken a word about Gorakhpur tragedy. It is very sad,” Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said.

“We hope that the Prime Minister in his Independence Day address to the nation apologises for the tragedy. He must apologise for the way the government has failed and the circumstances that led to this accident,” he said.

Maken added that the chief minister and the health minister have repeatedly maintained that “such accidents happen every year” and there has been no negligence on the part of the state government. “Then who is responsible? How was the oxygen supply cut? Why were funds not provided?” he asked.

The Congress leader also demanded a thorough inquiry into the matter. He recalled Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s statement on September 7 last year during his visit to the encephalitis ward at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

“We, when in government, had sent and sanctioned funds for encephalitis treatment and control in Gorakhpur. People are now complaining that the funds which were sanctioned have been stopped. On the one hand, Modiji lays foundation stone of AIIMS and the other hand, funds are stopped,” Gandhi had said during the two-hour long road show in Gorakhpur.