UP hospital deaths: Cong says state Govt probe, suspension of principal of med college an eyewash, demands dismissal of state health Min

New Delhi, Aug 12 :  Terming the probe ordered by the Uttar Pradesh Governemt in death of over 60 kids in a hospital in Gorakhpur and the suspension of the principal of the medical college as an 'eyewash', the Congress today demanded the dismissal of the state health minister and a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge or a Parliamentary panel into the incident. Talking to reporters here, AICC general secretary incharge of UP Ghulam Nabi Azad, who this morning visited Gorakhpur to meet the families of the kids, said,'the probe ordered by the State government and the suspension of the principal of the medical college is nothing but an eyewash. If at all an enquiry has to be ordered, it should be headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or one overseen by a Parliamentary panel. Only then will the truth come out. Also, the Chief Minister should immediately suspend the Health minister.' Refuting the Government's contention that the deaths of the kids were due to Encephalitis, Mr Azad said,'the contention that the kids died to Encephalitis is false. After having talked to the staff and the employees, I can say that the children died due to shortage of liquid Oxygen.' He said that hospital owed some money to the supplier of the liquid oxygen which led to the shortage of liquid oxygen cylinders. 'The health department of the state failed to take any action despite the hospital authorities informing them that there was a shortage of liquid oxygen cylinders. The children died due to lack of oxygen. The entire responsibility lies with the state government,'he said. Charging the central and the state government as having totally failed in their responsibility, Mr Azad said, 'Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also the MP of Gorakhpur. He should apologise to the families of the children. The health minister should be immediately dismissed. Further, the families of the children should be compensated financially. The state government should ensure that in future no children die due to lack of Oxygen.' UNI