MP cough syrup-linked deaths: Give financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to kin, says Kamal Nath

Bhopal, Oct 4 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath on Saturday said the Madhya Pradesh government must give Rs 50 lakh each as financial assistance to families in Chhindwara that lost a child due to kidney failure after consuming adulterated cough syrup.

The statement from Nath (78), a former chief minister and current MLA from Chhindwara, came after the Mohan Yadav government sanctioned Rs 4 lakh each as compensation to families of the 14 deceased.

"So far, 10 children have died in Chhindwara after consuming the poisonous cough syrup. In this hour of grief, my condolences are with the bereaved families. But it must be remembered that this is not merely an accident but a man-made tragedy. I urge the Madhya Pradesh government to provide Rs 50 lakh each to the families of the deceased children," Nath said in a post on X.

The families of some of the ailing children were paying from their own pockets for treatment, Nath said while urging the BJP government in the state to fully cover all medical expenses.

The senior Congress leader also called for a large-scale crackdown on spurious and toxic medicines in the state.

"The government should pay attention to what kind of medicines are being sold in the state. There is a need for a big campaign against fake and poisonous medicines so that such a tragedy does not recur," he added.

On Friday, Nath had alleged that "brake oil solvent", a highly poisonous substance, was mixed in the adulterated cough syrup.

He had said emerging facts show the lives of children were put at risk in Chhindwara and across Madhya Pradesh and that such adulteration went unchecked for a long time, pointing to "a complete failure of law and order and the administrative machinery in the state." He recalled launching the 'Shuddh Ke Liye Yuddh' (War for Purity) campaign during his tenure as chief minister from December 2018 to March 2020. PTI LAL BNM