Jhansi Hospital Fire Claims 10 Newborns: A Mother’s Unbearable Loss
A devastating fire at Jhansi’s Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College claimed the lives of 10 newborn babies, leaving families shattered. Parents were left with charred memories of what should have been the most joyful moment of their lives. Witnesses described chaotic scenes, with nurses and family members braving the flames to rescue as many babies as possible.
Kripal Singh, a grandfather who saved several children, recounted seeing a nurse flee the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with her leg on fire. “My granddaughter survived, but I can’t forget the cries of other mothers,” he said. The grieving mothers staged a protest, demanding accountability and DNA tests to identify their children amidst the charred remains.
This tragedy unfolded as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, raising questions about his priorities amidst crises in his home state.
Gorakhpur’s BRD Hospital Oxygen Crisis (2017): The Tragedy Revisited
The pain of the Jhansi mothers echoes the anguish of 60 mothers in Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in 2017. Over a week, 60 children died due to the disruption of oxygen supply. A heartbreaking pattern of systemic neglect emerged as the sole oxygen supplier, Pushpa Sales, repeatedly warned the hospital about unpaid dues totaling ₹68 lakh. Letters to hospital authorities went unanswered, leading to an eventual supply cut that proved fatal.
While CM Yogi Adityanath visited the hospital after public outrage, his government attempted to deny that the deaths were linked to the oxygen shortage. Instead, officials claimed the children succumbed to diseases like Japanese Encephalitis, deflecting blame from administrative failures.
For the grieving mothers, such explanations were meaningless. “They told me my baby died of fever,” sobbed one mother. “But he was fine until the oxygen ran out. They killed my child.”
A Mother’s Anguish: Loss Beyond Measure
The mothers in Jhansi and Gorakhpur share a bond of grief that transcends time and place. In Jhansi, a mother wailed, “I carried my child for nine months, only to see him burn before my eyes. What sin did I commit?”
In Gorakhpur, a mother sat in silence, clutching her baby’s blanket. “I was helpless. I begged them to save my child,” she whispered. Both incidents lay bare the sheer emotional trauma caused by a callous system that fails its most vulnerable citizens.
Yogi Government: Campaigns Over Accountability
Critics argue that the BJP government, led by Yogi Adityanath, has prioritized political campaigns over addressing systemic healthcare issues. While Uttar Pradesh hospitals face staff shortages, lack of equipment, and outdated infrastructure, Yogi Adityanath has been campaigning in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, seemingly detached from the crises unfolding in his own state.
Opposition leaders have not spared the government. Akhilesh Yadav, former UP CM, tweeted, “Mothers are mourning their children, but the government is busy winning elections.”
Even in the face of public outrage, the Yogi administration has leaned on a playbook of blame-shifting. Officials accused hospital staff of negligence, ignored suppliers’ warnings, and made piecemeal payments after tragedies occurred.
Systemic Neglect and the Cost of Lives
Both tragedies expose the grim realities of India’s underfunded healthcare system. Successive governments, regardless of party affiliation, have failed to address these gaps. Poor funding, chronic mismanagement, and political apathy converge to create a deadly cocktail, leaving ordinary citizens to pay the ultimate price.
The pain of losing a child is unimaginable. For the mothers of Jhansi and Gorakhpur, the anguish is compounded by the knowledge that these deaths were preventable. Their stories stand as a stark reminder of what happens when a government prioritizes politics over people.
A Mother’s Cry: Accountability Now
“Don’t spare anyone,” said one grieving mother in Jhansi. “A mother knows the pain of losing her child. But these people, they don’t care. They let our children burn, suffocate, and die.”
As Uttar Pradesh reels from repeated tragedies, the call for accountability grows louder. It remains to be seen whether the Yogi government will rise to the occasion or continue to prioritize its political ambitions over the lives of its citizens.
