As the infant death toll at Kota hospital continues to rise, authorities on Friday were seen welcoming ministers at the hospital premises. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday had urged Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to visit the state-run JK Lon hospital in Kota. The hospital on Friday gave a green carpet welcome to the minister guests who had come to visit the ailing children. The ruling Congress has been in the mid of controversy as other party leaders are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Gehlot over the incident.
Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot, on his part, denied any negligence on part of the hospital. He also sought to play down the death toll, saying, “1000 children have died under BJP’s rule, while 100 have died under Congress rule. There should be no politics in it. The media is creating an issue out of it.”
Among the leaders demanding Gehlot's resignation was BSP supremo Mayawati, who on Friday said the chief minister should be sacked. The former UP chief minister charged that Gehlot was making political statements that were irresponsible and unsympathetic.
"This is highly shameful," Mayawati said in a tweet.
She demanded that Gehlot be dismissed and replaced by a new dispensation otherwise more women will lose their children.
At least 100 infants have died at a government-run hospital in Kota in the past month.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BSP chief had on Thursday targeted the Congress over infant deaths, suggesting that party leader Priyanka Gandhi should have gone there to console the children's mothers instead of "playing politics" in UP.
Also Read | Mayawati questions silence of Priyanka Gandhi on death of infants in Kota
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