Chief Minister, health minister should resign: Congress

RAIPUR: The main opposition Congress here demanded resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh and Health and Family Welfare Minister Amar Agrawal over the death of eight women who underwent sterilisation surgery at a government-organised sterilisation camp in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur.

"No lesson has been learnt from the past mistakes. It reflects the criminal mindset of the state government. Even after botched cataract surgeries cases in Balod, Bagbahra and Raigarh, uterus removal incident and now this tragedy during the tenure of Health Minister Amar Agrawal, he has yet not been sacked," party's state chief Bhupesh Baghel said.

"Chief Minister Raman Singh and the health minister should immediately step down from their post taking the moral responsibility for the incident," he said.

Alleging Agrawal for failing to ensure proper medical services in the state, Baghel said, "Why he has been assigned the health portfolio when he is incapable of discharging his duties. It shows intention of CM that he doesn't bother about the health of common man."

He further sought strong action against the erring officials and said that only suspending them in the name of investigation will not serve the purpose.

"Senior officials should also be brought under scanner," he said.

Eight women died and 52 others were hospitalised after undergoing surgeries at a government-organised sterilisation camp under national family planning programme at a private hospital in Pendari village under Takhatpur block in outskirts of Bilaspur town on November 8.