Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Shubhendu Adhikari. file | photo credit: Debashish Bhaduri
There was a lot of uproar in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Thursday, with BJP MLAs demanding a statement from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the issue. Viral outbreak in the stateWhich had claimed the lives of several children in the last few weeks.
BJP legislators moved an adjournment motion but Speaker Biman Banerjee did not allow it. This was opposed by the BJP MLAs who raised slogans, put up posters and walked out of the House.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a statement in the state assembly on Monday, where she said that most of the children who died had co-morbidity with acute respiratory infection (ARI). Ms Banerjee also holds the portfolio of the state health department. The BJP legislators said the situation in the state was alarming due to the viral surge, and accused the state government of not taking adequate steps to control the situation.
Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Shubhendu Adhikari told reporters in the state assembly that the state government was trying to hide facts and figures about the number of children and deaths. Another BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh said a large number of cases were being referred to hospitals in Kolkata.
Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya accused the opposition BJP of behaving “irresponsibly”. He said, “Whenever the Chief Minister gives a speech in the House, the opposition talks about his absence.”
According to the chief minister, 19 children have died so far, but unofficial figures suggest the number will be more than 100. In the past few weeks, the city’s pediatric hospitals have been flooded with patients from districts with ARI infections.