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Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Monday dismissed the Congress’s demand for resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the death of several children in a Gorakhpur hospital, saying such tragedies had happened during that party’s rule also.
“It’s the job of the Congress to demand resignation. Many such big tragedies have occurred in this big country. This has not happened for the first time. Such (tragedies) have happened during Congress governments too,” Shah told reporters in response to a question about the main opposition party’s demand for the chief minister’s resignation.
Replying to a query, Shah said that unlike the Congress, BJP “does not hold anybody guilty” without investigation.
Several children have died at Baba Raghav Das medical college hospital within a span of a week in the Uttar Pradesh chief minister’s hometown and parliamentary constituency.
The BJP chief said Adityanath had announced a time-bound probe into the tragedy and a report in this regard would be made public after the team submitted its findings.
“Investigations are on. Yogiji has fixed a time-bound investigation. Once the investigation report is submitted, the government will make it public,” he said.
“This is an incident and a mistake, at whichever level it may be. All said and done, you cannot deny the party’s and BJP government’s intention for development of the poor. There is no link between the tragedy and government’s intention,” he added.
Asked why Narendra Modi had not tweeted on the tragedy, Shah said the prime minister had already expressed his grief over the incident in the media.
“The prime minister has already expressed his grief over the incident, and tweet is not the only medium to convey a message. He has already made a statement in the press,” Shah added.
On a reported directive of Adityanath on preparations for a “grand” Krishna Janmashtami celebrations when the state was mourning the deaths of infants, he said that everybody is grieved over the death of children in UP.
“Everybody is sad that children have died. But Krishna Janmashtami has its own place as is August 15. Yogi ji has not said in this reference that you celebrate the festival even though children have died. Krishna Janmashtami is being observed. It will be observed across the country and in the same manner it will be in UP too based on people’s belief. It is not a government festival.”
To a repeated query if it shows the UP government’s insensitivity, he asked that if people celebrate it at their homes then what can the government do.
Image: A woman looks into the intensive care unit at the Baba Raghav Das hospital in the Gorakhpur district. Over 60 children have died at the hospital, sparking nationwide outrage. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters