Telangana: Mulugu episode snowballs into major issue for ‘callous’ Congress

The Ministers, who chose to ignore the grieving family despite them protesting with the body of the child on the highway, have drawn heavy flak for the insensitivity displayed by them

Hyderabad: A case of alleged medical negligence at the government hospital in Mulugu district resulting in the death of a newborn, triggering a protest by the grieving family and two Ministers passing by as part of a road show completely ignoring their pain is snowballing into a major issue for the Congress government. The Ministers, who chose to ignore the grieving family despite them protesting with the body of the child on the highway, have drawn heavy flak for the insensitivity displayed by them.

The protest staged by the family had coincided with the arrival of Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Seethakka, who were en route to a revenue conference in Venkatapuram on an open-top vehicle. Protestors attempted to draw the Ministers’ attention to their plight by displaying the infant’s body. While Seethakka, without stopping, briefly assured from atop her vehicle that action would be taken against those responsible, she did not interact further with the grieving family. Adding to the callousness was the police, who forcibly removed the protestors to clear the way for the ministers’ convoy.

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Earlier, Ravali from Bandarupalli village was admitted to the Mulugu government hospital on Thursday for her first delivery. Despite her repeated claims of not experiencing labour pains, the hospital staff allegedly proceeded with an attempt at a normal delivery on Friday. Ravali alleged that the staff ignored her pleas and applied excessive pressure during the delivery, leading to the loss of the baby. The newborn showed no signs of movement after delivery despite efforts to revive him. The family has accused the hospital staff of negligence, claiming their actions directly caused the infant’s death. Recounting her ordeal in the hospital, Ravali said her baby’s death was solely due to the negligence of the government hospital staff.

With the video of the incident also going viral, public are questioning the insensitivity of the Ministers and the police as well. While some called their behaviour pathetic, others termed the incident ‘painful’, especially the scenes of the body of the baby being held up for the Ministers to see and they continuing on their way without stopping to check what had happened.

Reacting to the episode, BRS working President KT Rama Rao on Saturday deplored the way a family grieving over the death of a child was ignored by the Congress Ministers. He called it a blatant display of insensitivity. The family was just seeking solace and justice. They were reportedly pushed aside by the police, sparking outrage. Close on the heels of the Mulugu incident, a similar incident was reported at Amarachinta also, he said.

Coming down heavily on the Congress government for its indifference towards public grievances and health issues, Rama Rao voiced concern over the tragic loss of lives because of the failures of the administration. He recalled that over 500 farmers had ended their lives while weavers and auto drivers were facing economic hardships. Over 50 students died in the residential schools during the Congress rule, all of which were attributed to systemic neglect.