Karnataka is number one state in maternal deaths: BJP

Bengaluru: Comingdown heavily on the Congress government over a series of deaths of women after delivery in the state, the Karnataka BJP has said that the state occupies the top position in terms of maternal deaths.

Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, Opposition leader R. Ashoka said, “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah boasts about Karnataka being number one in the country in terms of GDP; he should also admit that Karnataka is number one in maternal deaths.”

Ashoka also hit out at the Congress government, saying that while mothers and children are dying in government hospitals, the Congress has spent Rs 20 crore organising conventions.

“Even if the government holds 100 conventions without saving children, it will not escape the curse of people,” he said. Ashoka remarked that the state’s health department has turned into a “sick” department.

“Mothers have died in Ballari Hospital due to intravenous fluid issues. Despite my earlier warnings, the deaths continued. Over the past 10 months, 111 newborns and 28 mothers have died in government hospitals. Instead of giving Rs 2,000 to women under the Griha Laxmi scheme, the government should ensure justice for the deaths of mothers,” he added.

Ashoka said: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited people and shed tears, wiping their eyes with towels. But now, when mothers are dying, they are busy hosting Jan Kalyana conventions. Instead of speaking for the people, they used the platform for political rhetoric. Even after identifying 28 substandard medicines, the government continued to purchase from the same company. This negligence will bring a curse upon the government.”

The BJP leader claimed that even after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting, the deaths of mothers have not stopped which shows a lack of control over the state administration.

“The Chief Minister must take responsibility for these deaths and resign,” he demanded.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has not even consoled the bereaved families, he said while criticising the Congress-led state government.

State BJP President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, criticised the Congress government, stating that the public is questioning its inhumane response to the tragic deaths of mothers and an infant in Ballari. Vijayendra accused the government of purchasing intravenous glucose from a blacklisted company, which was used at the Ballari Government Medical College Hospital, resulting in the deaths of seven mothers and one infant. He slammed Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil for failing to visit the site of the tragedy.Taking a jab at State Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan, who is also the district in-charge of Ballari, Vijayendra sarcastically said, “He has no connection to this incident as he is busy with Waqf matters.”

He added that the public is questioning the government’s inhumane approach to the incident and demanded accountability. “The state government, which purchased supplies from a blacklisted company, must take responsibility for this tragedy,” he asserted.