Kota Infant Deaths: Sachin Pilot Slams Rajasthan CM For Insensitive Response; Advises To 'Be Compassionate'

Pilot's cautious criticism came two days after CM Ashok Gehlot suggested the number of deaths was a good news given over 1,100 deaths in the same hospital in 2016, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power.

Sachin Pilot also met parents of some children who died in the hospital in the last few days. (File Photo/ Getty)

Kota: Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday slammed his own government in the state following the deaths of over 100 infants at the state-run JK Lon hospital in Kota district. Pilot's cautious criticism came two days after CM Ashok Gehlot suggested the number of deaths was a good news given over 1,100 deaths in the same hospital in 2016, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power. After visiting the hospital, Pilot spoke to reporters and said that the current government could have been more compassionate and sensitive towards the issue. "I think our response to this could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous government's misdeeds... accountability should be fixed," news agency IANS quoted the Congress leader as saying. Pilot also met parents of some children who died in the hospital in the last few days. Even CM Gehlot is scheduled to hold a press conference later in the day.

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on #KotaChildDeaths: I think our response to this could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous Govt's misdeeds. Accountability should be fixed. pic.twitter.com/kpD9uxMfUy

— ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2020

Facing flak from opposition and public over the death of children in party-ruled Rajasthan, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of senior party leaders on Saturday to discuss the issue and the state government's response. Reportedly Gandhi is upset over the death of children and has directed Gehlot to take necessary steps, a party leader told news agency IANS. Taking cognizance of media reports about the death of more than 100 children in the government-run hospital in December last year, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) India has issued notice to the state government, a Home Ministry statement stated. WATCH | Kota Hospital Infant Death Toll Rises To 107 The notice, issued to the Rajashan Chief Secretary, has asked the state government to submit a detailed report within four weeks in the matter, including the steps being taken to address the issue. In the notice, the NHRC has also directed the Rajasthan government to ensure that such deaths of children do not recur in future due to "lack of infrastructure and health facilities" in hospitals.  The statement noted that ten out of a hundred children died within 48 hours between December 23 and 24, 2019. Reportedly, the statement said, over 50 per cent of the gadgets installed in the hospital are defunct and the hospital is lacking cleanliness and basic infrastructure, including oxygen supply, in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Hospital sources close to news agency IANS had confirmed that over 60 per cent equipment in the essential and life saving categories was not functional in the JK Lon hospital. The apex human rights body had also directed the Rajasthan government to ensure that such deaths of children do not recur in future due to "lack of infrastructure and health facilities" in hospitals.