Sonia Gandhi upset over Kota children deaths

New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Amid the uproar over the deaths of children in a hospital in Rajasthan's Kota district, Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi summoned party in-charge in the state Avinash Pande on Thursday, and also sought an explanation from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Pande met Sonia Gandhi and briefed her about the situation in Kota. An upset Gandhi has asked why no steps were taken when the children were dying.

After meeting Sonia, Pande said: "Sonia ji wanted to know the reasons of the deaths. It is a very sad situation and the Chief Minister has been asked to act on the report. The BJP allegation is untrue as the inquiry is on and those responsible will be punished."

Facing criticism from various quarters Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot tweeted on Thursday: "I welcome specialist delegation of Central government and the state is committed to make Rajasthan 'Nirogi'. The government is sensitive towards the death of the children and there should be no politics into it, and in Kota the mortality rate has come down."

Gehlot also said that when he was in power in 2011, he had got the ICU unit installed in the hospital.

Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma in his defence said that the children brought to the hospital were in critical condition and despite efforts they could not be saved while those who were less critical were saved.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has attacked Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi. Mayawati said: "It is very sad that the Congress General Secretary is keeping mum on the deaths of 100 children in the Kota hospital. It would have been better if like Uttar Pradesh, she would have met the mothers of the children who have died in the hospital, due to the apathy of the government of her party in the state.

Mayawati further said that the attitude of the Gehlot government in Rajasthan was condemnable as it has mismanaged the situation, causing the death of 100 children in Kota, and still remains irresponsible and unsympathetic to the situation.