Singhar highlighted that 16 children have died in Parasia, Chhindwara district, due to consumption of the banned cough syrup. He said-Our MLA Sohan Valmiki repeatedly wrote letters to the Collector, Chief Minister, and Health Minister, and even staged protests after the first child’s death, yet the government remained unresponsive.
He further asked-Will the government send bulldozers to the Health Minister’s house for negligence? Who will be held accountable for these deaths?
During the press conference, Parasia MLA Sohan Lal Valmiki criticized the state government for prioritizing minor enforcement actions over the lives of children. He said, "The government demolishes houses in minor cases, but in these child deaths, no action has been taken. The Deputy Chief Minister is responsible."
He shared that just 30 kilometers from his constituency, a 1.5-year-old girl died due to kidney failure after consuming the toxic syrup. He added-Despite repeated requests, the government has not provided any assistance to affected families.
Delays in post-mortem
Singhar criticized the government for failing to conduct timely investigations, stating,
By rule, tests should be conducted within 72 hours of such cases, but the government did not comply. Only after public outcry was the body of deceased child Yogita Thakre exhumed for post-mortem.
He further accused the government of insensitivity, saying-Children were dying while the Chief Minister was away watching elephants at Kaziranga National Park.
Singhar also targeted the Deputy CM for downplaying the crisis. He said-Four days ago, he claimed no deaths were linked to the syrup and gave a clean chit to the Tamil Nadu company. The same company turned Rewa into a major hub for toxic cough syrup.
He asked-What is the relationship between the Deputy CM and the Tamil Nadu company? Why has the Chief Minister remained silent on this issue?
Calls for judicial inquiry
Singhar emphasized the need for a judicial inquiry and suggested compensation for families. He said, "This is a case of corruption and commission. The lives of newborns are being risked. Families whose children died should be provided government jobs as compensation."
He recommended contact tracing similar to COVID-19 protocols, stating, "Parasia’s population is 2,84,000 with around 25,000 children. Authorities should track which children received this syrup and monitor them."
Singhar criticized the government’s compensation measures-The government is offering Rs 4 lakh per child. Is a mother’s grief worth just Rs four lakh? Families spent lakhs in Nagpur hospitals, pawning property and jewelry to save their children. If the government does not reimburse this, families will remain in debt for life.
MLA Valmiki details systemic failures
Valmiki reiterated his repeated warnings to officials after the first child died on September 4. He said, "Despite warning signs of kidney failure, authorities continued testing for malaria and dengue instead of investigating the root cause."
He also highlighted the government’s conflicting stance-The Collector banned the syrup, but the Health Minister claimed it caused no harm. Meanwhile, deaths continued.
He added that six children from his constituency are currently admitted in Nagpur, four of whom are on ventilators. He warned, "Their condition is critical, and further tragedies are imminent without government intervention."
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