UP deaths: Red-faced, Yogi govt still in denial

After failing to act swiftly to prevent the death of 36 children in a span of 48 hours due to stoppage of oxygen supply to government-owned Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government finally reacted on Saturday.

Following nation wide outrage, the UP government suspended Dr Rajeev Kumar Mishra, Principal of the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur and also ordered an inquiry. At the same time, it refused to accept that the deaths had taken place due to shortage of oxygen supply.

The Opposition has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh.

Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon ‘Gopalji’, who reached Gorakhpur along with Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh, announced Dr Mishra’s suspension “with immediate effect”.

Incidentally, the principal himself told the media that he had resigned in the morning on “moral grounds”, much before he was suspended by the Education Minister.

“Taking the moral responsibility for the deaths of children, I had already resigned,” Mishra said.

“These children have died in my tenure. Hence, I consider it as my moral responsibility,” he added.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was also said to be constantly monitoring the situation. Union Health Minister JP Nadda also asked …read more