NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday condemned the elaborate arrangements made ahead of his visit to the fire-hit Jhansi hospital where 10 newborns were killed and asked the district magistrate to take strict action against the person who got the work done.
In a video message, Pathak said, “Before I reached Jhansi Medical College, some person was laying lime powder on the roadside, which is very sad. I condemn this. And, I would ask the District Magistrate to identify the person, who got the work done, and take strong action against him. I will never accept this.”
This comes after the opposition trained guns at Uttar Pradesh government and alleged that the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College compound was cleaned and lime was sprinkled on the roads to welcome the deputy chief minister.
“Look at the insensitivity of the BJP government. On one hand, children were burned to death, and their families were weeping and grieving. On the other hand, lime was being sprinkled on the roads to welcome the Deputy Chief Minister. The families even claimed that the entire compound was filthy, but it was cleaned up before the Deputy Chief Minister’s visit,” Congress said in a social media post on X.
“While children are dying in fires, this government is busy polishing its image. Shameful!” it added.
In a video doing the rounds on social, some workers are seen making marks on the road with lime powder.
The fire, which engulfed the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the hospital, is said to have been caused due to a short circuit. While 10 newborns died, 16 are said to be in a critical condition.
A statement from the Uttar Pradesh government said as soon as information about the incident was received, Adityanath sent Pathak and the principal health
The Samajwadi Party, an ally of the Congress, said government hospitals in Uttar Pradesh had become a den of misery, corruption and negligence. “There were no arrangements in the hospital to save the children… The BJP is a completely insensitive party. People are dying, but these people will never take responsibility,” party spokesperson Juhie Singh said.