Kota infants' deaths: NHRC takes suo motu cognizance

The National Human Rights Commission on Friday took suo motu cognizance of media reports about the death of more than 100 children at a government-run hospital in Kota district of Rajasthan in December 2019, a day after the Opposition raised a hue and cry,

The Commission has issued a notice to Rajasthan government's Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report within four weeks in the matter, including the steps being taken to address the issue and to ensure that such deaths do not recur in the future due to lack of infrastructure and health facilities at the hospitals.

The Commission raised a serious issue of violation of human rights and stated that the state was duty-bound to provide basic necessary medical care to its citizens.

According to the media report, the state authorities have reportedly stated that the number of deaths were lower as compared to the earlier years. As per the statistics quoted by the state authorities, 963 children had died at Kota's J.K. Lon government hospital in 2019 while the figure was over 1000 in the preceding years.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Gehlot government had sent two senior cabinet ministers, including Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma and Transport minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas to Kota to take stock of the situation in Kota.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that the Kota infants' death toll has been the lowest as compared to the last five-six years.

CM Gehlot should stop bowing down before the "Delhi Darbar": Shah

Slamming the Congress government in Rajasthan, Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a rally in Jodhpur said, "Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will be cursed by mothers of the infants who have died in Kota." Shah said CM Gehlot should stop bowing down before the "Delhi Darbar".

"Ashok Gehlot ji, instead of opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, first focus on the children who are dying in Kota every day. Show some concern, mothers are cursing you," added Shah.