Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former chief minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray on Friday slammed the Eknath Shinde government over the death of children and other patients in Nanded district and demanded a CBI probe into the incident. From September 30 to October 2, 35 people including 16 children died in Dr Shankarrao Chavan government medical college and hospital in Nanded.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Mr. Thackeray is demanding CBI investigation only because there is a probe into the Covid scam in Mumbai, which happened during his tenure as the CM.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief alleged that there is also rampant corruption in the health department for the transfer and postings. He also alleged that there is a shortage of medicines in the hospitals.
“How did the doctors and the health system, which worked efficiently in Covid pandemic and saved the lives of citizens, become inefficient now?” the former chief minister asked.
Mr. Thackeray also said that the Shinde government has money to do publicity but does not have money to save the lives of the patients of Maharashtra. “The CIB should conduct a fair probe of the state government,” he said.
He also demanded resignation of the public health minister Tanaji Sawant and medical education minister Hasan Mushrif.
“It was a responsibility of the chief minister and his deputy chief ministers to visit the hospitals and find out the actual cause behind these deaths,” Mr. Thackeray said.
Rebutting Mr. Thackeray's allegation, the chief minister said that when the people were dying during the Covid pandemic, Mr. Thackeray was counting notes at his home.
“Those who did a scam in purchasing body bags during Covid, indulged in corruption in the oxygen plant, embezzled money meant for Covid patient' khichadi are now being exposed,” Mr. Shinde said.
He also said that in order to divert attention, a CBI inquiry is being demanded by Mr. Thackeray.
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Mr. Thackeray does not have the moral right to speak on the health system as he had looted the money during the Covid pandemic. “He should remember when patients died due to lack of oxygen, he was busy with distribution of tenders for the same. His government did not spare even the body bags of the deceased for commission,” Mr. Bawankule alleged.
