In the wake of deaths of over 100 infants in a government-run hospital in Kota, Union Minister Smriti Ir on Friday said this shows "no attention was paid by the Rajasthan government" towards the issue despite reports of so many deaths.
"It hints at the fact that even after continuous deaths of children, no attention was paid by the Rajasthan government towards it. The government needs to answer whom would they penalise for this?" questioned Ir.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the issue of infant deaths should not be 'politicized' and that there could be drawbacks in several hospitals which the media has a right to highlight so that it can be improved by the government.
Gehlot further added that during BJP's term around 1,000 infants used to die in a year but under the current government's tenure, the count has come down to around 900.
On January 2, an official from the hospital in Kota said that three more children had died in the first two days of the New Year, taking the toll to 103.
As per a government report, at least 91 infants lost their lives at the government hospital in Kota in December last year. Following the incident, the Gehlot-led Congress government is under fire from the BJP and other Opposition parties in the State.
( With inputs from ANI )