Congress demands Rupani's resignation against infant deaths in Ahmedabad hospital

After 18 newborn babies died at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital over the last three days, Congress workers protested outside the hospital.

Apart from demanding an inquiry and suspension of Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Congress has also demanded Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's resignation.

Congress said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah should be held accountable for infant deaths across the country.

Of the total 18 deaths reported in the last three days, 9 took place on Saturday. Five of the newborns who died on Saturday were referred to Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital from other smaller facilities while four of the babies were born at the prestigious government-run hospital itself.

Congress also demanded a court-monitored probe into the deaths of babies.

Congress leader Jaiveer Shergill criticised Modi for "not even making a mention" of the incident in his monthly radio address Mann-ki-Baat, and accused him of being "insensitive" to the pain of the families of the deceased.

"Does the prime minister not feel the pain of the deaths of these infants in his heart or does he not have any sympathy for the families of the victims? Instead of (expressing his) Mann ki Baat, the prime minister should have apologised to the people of this country, especially the families of the innocent infants, who lost their lives due to gross criminal negligence of the BJP-run administration," Shergill said in a statement.

"The Congress demands that Modi, rather than indulging in PR exercises, should start addressing the real issues of the economy and do something to put an end to the dance of death going on in various BJP-ruled states," he added.