Following reports of child fatalities in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan allegedly linked to a cough syrup, the Congress party has demanded a judicial investigation, accountability for those responsible, and compensation for the families of the deceased. The opposition criticized the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments for seemingly exonerating the manufacturers of the cough syrup implicated in these tragedies. They also called for an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the situation. During a press conference with Congress Legislative Party leader in Rajasthan, Tika Ram Jully, Congress leader in Madhya Pradesh, Umang Singhar, stated that 16 children had died in Chhindwara. He mentioned that a local Congress MLA had previously alerted the government multiple times, but no action was taken.
Singhar alleged that after the situation worsened, the body of a girl was exhumed for a postmortem, while the chief minister was reportedly unresponsive, focusing instead on leisure activities in Kaziranga National Park. He criticized Madhya Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla for claiming no deaths were caused by the cough syrup and for continuously defending the pharmaceutical company involved. Singhar questioned the government’s insensitivity and the Deputy Chief Minister’s connections to the medicine company. He noted that while tests are conducted for minor ailments, no investigations were made as children suffered kidney failures in Madhya Pradesh.
The Congress leader pointed out that the pharmaceutical company targeted a tribal area like Parasia, presuming that the marginalized communities there could be overlooked. He raised concerns about potential collusion between the government and such companies. Furthermore, Singhar criticized the leadership in both states as being ineffective, suggesting that decisions originate from Delhi rather than local leaders. He expressed concern for the 25,000 children in Parasia and questioned if the government had initiated any efforts to assess who has been impacted. Singhar condemned the BJP government’s offer of only Rs 4 lakh compensation to the bereaved families, questioning the value of a mother’s loss.
He emphasized the need for a judicial inquiry into the child fatalities and insisted that the families affected should receive compensation equivalent to their medical expenses. He called for an end to political maneuvering in this matter. Jully added that while the Prime Minister claims a long history of public service, these issues are occurring under his leadership, and he should apologize to the nation.