Govt must debate SIR, House not running reflects ruling side's weakness: Priyanka Gandhi
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New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday dared the government to debate the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar and claimed that the fact that the House is not being able to run smoothly is a manifestation of the ruling side's weakness.
Her remarks came amid a logjam in Parliament due to vociferous protests by opposition parties demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise carried out by the Election Commission in Bihar.
"Parliament is not functioning. It has not been functioning since so many days. Why is it so? I was thinking how difficult it is, they (the government) should speak with everyone and say that we will debate on it. How difficult it is to run the House?" Priyanka Gandhi told reporters in the Parliament House complex.
"Have they become so weak that they are unable to ensure that the House runs. Everyday we have to do this because they don't want to discuss a particular issue. Why can't they debate it?" the Congress MP from Wayanad asked.
She said there should be a debate on the SIR since the exercise is being done throughout the country and is an issue that affects the whole country.
"There was a debate on Operation Sindoor. They should debate on this also. Let the country know. We can put forward our position, they can put forward theirs. What is their fear?"
"It is their weakness that they are unable to run the House," Priyanka Gandhi said.
Earlier, several MPs of the INDIA bloc parties, including Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, staged a protest in the Parliament House complex on Tuesday against the Election Commission's voter roll revision in Bihar, and demanded its rollback.
This is the tenth day of their protest with only one day gap in between on Monday when the opposition skipped their protest in view of the death of former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren.
The opposition has been protesting in both Houses of Parliament against the SIR, alleging the EC's exercise was aimed at "disenfranchising voters" in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. They have been demanding a discussion on the issue in both Houses.
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4 children test HIV positive in MP govt hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.
The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.
Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.
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MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.
“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.
The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.
Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.
"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.
All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.
A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.
After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.
After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.
The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.
"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.
Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.
"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.
