Adityanath Slams Cong Over Infant Deaths in Kota; Gehlot Hits Back

Over 100 infants have died in Kota’s JK Lon Hospital in December 2019.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, on Thursday, 2 January, spoke on the death of about 100 infants in the JK Lon Hospital in Rajasthan's Kota last month.

In a series of tweets, the UP Chief Minister said that the deaths are a blot on the society.

कोटा में करीब 100 मासूमों की मौत बेहद दुःखद और हृदय विदारक है। माताओं की गोद उजड़ना सभ्य समाज,मानवीय मूल्यों और संवेदनाओं पर धब्बा है।

अत्यंत क्षोभ है कि कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी,कांग्रेस महासचिव श्रीमती प्रियंका वाड्रा महिला होकर भी माताओं का दुःख नहीं समझ पा रहीं।

— Yogi Adityanath Office (@myogioffice) January 2, 2020

He slammed Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alleging that despite being women, the two couldn't understand the plight of mothers. Accusing Priyanka of being insensitive, Adityanath claimed that had the Congress leader given enough attention to the mothers whose kids have been taken away, the families would have found solace.

Adityanath also slammed the Congress-led Rajasthan government for having an 'insensitive, irresponsible attitude." "Keeping silence in such matters is sad," he further hit out at Rajasthan CM for not speaking on the matter.

राजस्थान में कांग्रेसी सरकार, वहां के मुख्यमंत्री श्री अशोक गहलोत जी की उदासीनता, असंवेदनशीलता व गैर-जिम्मेदाराना रवैया और इस मामले में चुप्पी साधे रहना मन दुखी कर देने वाला है।

— Yogi Adityanath Office (@myogioffice) January 2, 2020

श्रीमती वाड्रा अगर यू.पी. में राजनीतिक नौटंकी करने की बजाय उन गरीब पीड़ित माताओं से जाकर मिलतीं,जिनकी गोद केवल उनकी पार्टी की सरकार की लापरवाही की वजह से सूनी हो गई है तो उन परिवारों को कुछ सांत्वना मिलती।

इनको किसी की न चिंता है,न कोई संवेदना, जनसेवा नहीं सिर्फ राजनीति करनी है।

— Yogi Adityanath Office (@myogioffice) January 2, 2020

“They (Congress) don’t care about anything, they just want to play politics.”

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh

Govt Is Empathetic: Rajasthan CM

However, as Yogi Adityanath said that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has stayed silent, Gehlot had in fact, tweeted about the deaths some time back.

"The deaths at the JK Lon Hospital are being closely monitored by the Rajasthan government. There should not be politics on this."

जेके लोन अस्पताल, कोटा में हुई बीमार शिशुओं की मृत्यु पर सरकार संवेदनशील है। इस पर राजनीति नहीं होनी चाहिए। कोटा के इस अस्पताल में शिशुओं की मृत्यु दर लगातार कम हो रही है। हम आगे इसे और भी कम करने के लिए प्रयास करेंगे। मां और बच्चे स्वस्थ रहें यह हमारी सर्वोच्च प्राथमिकता है।
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— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) January 2, 2020

Further, Gehlot mentioned that the first children's ICU in Rajasthan was established by the Congress-led government.

Gehlot also welcomed a team from the government to help improve the health infrastructure in the state. "We are ready for the improvement of medical services in the state with their consultation and cooperation."

While the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister slammed the Congress over the deaths, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has written to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan over the same.

In his tweet, the Lok Sabha speaker urged for strengthening of medical facilities with sensitivity.

राजस्थान के मुख्यमंत्री अशोक गहलोत को पुनः स्मरण पत्र भेजकर संसदीय क्षेत्र कोटा के जेके लोन मातृ एवं शिशु चिकित्सालय में शिशुओं की असमय मृत्यु की प्रतिदिन बढती संख्या को देखते हुए संवेदनशीलता के साथ चिकित्सा सुविधाओं के मजबूत बनाने के लिये आग्रह किया।@ashokgehlot51 @RajCMO

— Om Birla (@ombirlakota) January 2, 2020

Have Offered All Possible Assistance: Health Min Harsh Vardhan

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, on Thursday, said that he has written a letter to CM Gehlot over the deaths of children at Kota.

The high-level team being despatched by @MoHFW_INDIA incl experts from AIIMS Jodhpur, Health Finance & Regional Director,Health Services Jaipur. It will reach #Kota tomorrow. In my letter too to @ashokgehlot51 ji, I’ve offered all possible assistance to prevent any further deaths

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) January 2, 2020

He also said that he has offered all possible assistance to prevent any further deaths.

Shortly after, CM Gehlot took to Twitter to say that he had called the health minister and asked him to visit Kota to see the facilities. He said this would also provide him clarity on the situation.

I telephoned Central Health Minister @drharshvardhan ji and requested him to visit #Kota personally so that he can see the best of facilities and proper management by State Health Department and get himself apprised of the facts.
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— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) January 2, 2020

Harsh Vardhan ji is himself a doctor and if he visits the hospital in #Kota, it will also clarify the situation for people, who are giving reaction mischievously, knowingly, unknowingly and also innocently.
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— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) January 2, 2020

Speaking to the media, he said that the infant deaths in the state was the lowest this year as compared to the last five to six years, adding that it was nonetheless sad that even one child had died. He said that medical arrangements are excellent and that they were still making efforts to reduce Infant Mortality Ratio and Maternal Mortality Ratio.