Patwari accuses MP Government of ‘killing’ over 150 children due to spurious medicines

Levelling serious allegations against the Madhya Pradesh BJP government, MP Congress Chief Jitu Patwari on Saturday claimed that more than 150 children have died in the state over the past three months due to fake and adulterated medicines, and not because of any diseases.

Patwari’s remarks come even as the state government faces severe criticism over the recent deaths of 25 children in Chhindwara and Betul districts from kidney failure—suspected to have been caused by the consumption of the now-banned toxic cough syrup Coldrif.

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“Over the past three months, more than 150 child deaths have been reported from different districts of the state. These are not disease-related deaths but government-sponsored killings,” Patwari told media persons during a press conference in Bhopal.

Patwari demanded the immediate sacking of Madhya Pradesh Health Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, as well as a thorough investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“We demand that the Health Minister resign immediately, the Principal Secretary (Health) be removed, an FIR be registered against the Drug Controller, and a CBI probe be ordered,” Patwari said.

“These are not deaths due to illness but acts of culpable homicide,” the Congress Chief asserted.

Referring to the recent deaths of 25 children allegedly caused by Coldrif syrup, Patwari claimed that a laboratory in Nagpur, Maharashtra, had submitted a report to the state Health Department on September 19, clearly stating that the deaths were caused by contaminated medicine and not by any disease.

“Despite this, the Health Minister failed to act on the report,” he alleged.

Patwari further said that the first death occurred on September 3, but even after eight children had died, no post-mortems were conducted and no departmental meetings were convened.

The Congress leader also demanded an investigation into the role of one Sonu Rana and Aditya Singh, the personal assistant to the Health Minister.

Patwari alleged that Rana facilitated deals between pharmaceutical companies and the state Health Department. He also released photographs purportedly showing the Health Minister with Rana and reiterated his demand for a fair probe by the CBI.

The Congress Chief announced that the party would observe a one-day fast and hold demonstrations outside children’s hospitals across all districts to demand accountability from the government.