Rajasthan Government’s Silence on Child Deaths is Shameful: LoP Tika Ram July

Jaipur.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tika Ram July launched a scathing attack on the Rajasthan government on Tuesday over the alleged deaths of children caused by the consumption of contaminated cough syrup.

Raising the issue during Question Hour in the State Assembly, July accused the government of gross negligence and “commission-driven corruption,” leading to the tragic loss of innocent lives.

Heated Debate in Rajasthan Assembly

The controversy erupted during a response from the Health Minister to a query by Congress MLA Harimohan Sharma. Tika Ram July dismissed the government’s reply as “incomplete and misleading,” alleging that the administration is shielding the “merchants of death.”

Key allegations raised by the LoP include:

• Blacklisted Suppliers: July claimed that the pharmaceutical company linked to the contaminated syrup had already been blacklisted in several other states.

• Procurement Loopholes: He questioned how a blacklisted firm managed to secure supply contracts in Rajasthan.

• Free Medicine Scheme: He further alleged that the same tainted batch of cough syrup was distributed to children under the Chief Minister’s Free Medicine Scheme.

Attack on Central Government Policies

Speaking to the media outside the House, the Leader of Opposition shifted his focus to the central government, criticizing the India-US Trade Agreement.

• Economic Concerns: July termed the trade deal a “new document of slavery” and an assault on India’s strategic autonomy, claiming that U.S. pressure would harm the Indian economy.

• Energy Policy: He also questioned India’s oil procurement strategy, asking why the country is being forced away from cheap Russian oil in favor of more expensive alternatives, calling it a violation of India’s independent foreign policy.

The session witnessed heavy uproar as opposition members demanded accountability and a high-level probe into the medical negligence cases.

About Author