No value for life, Modi wants to take forward Gujarat pattern: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of children in hospitals across the country including in Gorakhpur, and accused his government of having no value for life. It said Modi wants to "take forward the Gujarat pattern of deaths" - hinting at the 2002 riots.

The party also hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and demanded his resignation over the rising deaths of children at the BRD hospital in Gorakhpur, saying "Yogi is turning the state into Rogi (ailing)".

"BJP is trying to prove that there is no value for life in democracy. There is only value for bahumat (majority) and lokpriyata (to become popular) and later forget the people. This is true for Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Jaipur, where children have died. But the chief ministers in these states are being protected," said Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar.

"Modiji wants to bring the Gujarat model in the country. He wants to prove it right..There is no value for 200, 300, or 500 deaths, when even after 2,000 deaths (2002 Gujarat riots) the government can stay..and also run the government. Probably, he wants to take forward the pattern in the country," he added.

"Whether it is Vyapam or Haryana Chief Minister (Manohar Lal Khattar) or Rajasthan, these things have gone on," he also said.

Babbar pointed out that earlier 60-70 children died in three days in Gorakhpur medical college, now again 150 children have died.

"At BRD Hospital children are not given treatment and the doctors are trying to protect the guilty. They are trying to cover up the deaths of children. This government did not learn any lesson from the earlier deaths," said Babbar.

"Modi government spoke about New India. I think in this New India there is no value for life," he added.

Babbar also hit out at Adityanath for his remarks - "hope it doesn't happen within two years that the government would take care of all the newborn brought to the hospitals".

"what can be more abominable remarks than this..when you hear such words from a chief minister. Is he the CM of a state? Is this the remark of a CM?" he asked.

Another Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said he hasn't heard such irresponsible and inhumane words from anybody else referring to the Chief Minister's remarks.

"It is the duty and responsibility of the government to give treatment to the children. We condemn such remarks.

Asked about CM's resignation, the party said they had demanded it earlier but added in a sarcastic note that there is "no tradition of resignations" in BJP.

"There is no tradition of resignation in BJP. Had it been so, it should have come after Vyapam, PDS scam in Chhattisgarh, Haryana. They are now saying in Haryana the High Court judge was responsible for the violence and not the government. There is no democracy, there is only dictatorship," said Tiwari.

--IANS

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