UP Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, before taking charge of the state as the Chief Minister, was a poster boy of Sangh Parivar and got notoriety by passing cheap and hurtful remarks against minorities, particularly Muslims. Most probably, he was elected from Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency by exploiting communal sentiments of the people. He had no opportunity of gaining administrative experience but he was unexpectedly chosen as the Chief Minister by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, after the BJP came to power with huge mandate in the state. However, he is still to realize the responsibility of a Chief Minister and the status of the post. He cannot cut himself from the basic instinct and ingrained traits in him. The fact came to the fore when he passed most irresponsible and woefully cheap remark when the Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi came to Gorakhpur to visit aggrieved families of the children who died in the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital. Making a taunting remark at Rahul Gandhi, he said Gorakhpur was not a picnic spot. He passed a similar comment on Rahul and the Samajwadi leader Akhilesh Yadav addressing them Yuvraj of Delhi and Shehzada of Lucknow respectively. As a matter of fact he did not mock at the opposition leaders, as he intended, but virtually he insulted the memory of more than 70 children at the hospital. It was also a clumsy attempt to distract the attention of the people from the tragic incident that occurred under his nose due to the negligence of the hospital administration. Within 48 hours from the night of August 9, 60 babies admitted to the hospital for the treatment of different diseases died due to no supply of oxygen. This was a murder most foul of the innocent children by the hospital administration which failed to maintain the stock of oxygen cylinders. On account of non-payment of bills the supply was cut by the companies.
The Chief Minister ordered an administrative inquiry instead of a judicial probe keeping in view the degree of tragedy. To dilute the criminal negligence on the part of doctors and hospital administration, the Chief Minister said the cause of the deaths was the dreaded disease encephalitis, very common in UP and launched Swachh Uttar Pradesh campaign. It was merely a cover up attempt by the Chief Minister. After meeting family members of victims, Rahul Gandhi said it was a man-made tragedy and the state government should be held responsible for it. He said all those whom he met told him that oxygen shortage led to the deaths of their children. He warned the Chief Minister not try to cover up the guilty of the hospital administration. He also said sometime back, he visited the hospital and brought the flaws and shortcomings in providing quality treatment to the patients to the notice of the Prime Minister but no heed was given to his plea. The principal of the medical college Dr R K Mishra was suspended in the wake of the probe. The principal in his statement said he reminded the government for clearance of the bills of the oxygen cylinders, but the government was sitting on his requests. This is the administration of the Yogi government.
Slamming the Chief Minister for his barb, the AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi accused him of reducing the debate over medical negligence to such cheap politicking. Speaking to reporters, he said Gorakhpur was not a picnic spot, but it turned into a virtual murder spot. Apart from this wordy duel, one thing is clear that the poster boy in Yogi Adityanath is still alive and kicking. Should such person hold the post of Chief Minister is a question to be responded by the BJP leadership.
