Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 6 (ANI): Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday slammed the State government over the deaths of children allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrup and demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation under the monitoring of the Supreme Court.

Sharing an X post, Kamal Nath mourned the deaths of children in Chhindwara, saying that the grieving families are questioning the government.

He wrote, 'The heart-wrenching news of the deaths of innocent children in Chhindwara has shaken the entire state. The Chhindwara that I nurtured and cherished like a home and family, today, in the courtyard of that very Chhindwara, lie the bodies of children. My heart is deeply disturbed, pained, moved, and enraged... the cries of the grieving families are questioning this government.'

Claiming a death toll of 16, he alleged a failure of the State's healthcare system.

'The death toll of children due to poisonous cough syrup has risen to 16. This number is not the result of an accidental incident or a natural disaster. It is proof of the deadly failure of our healthcare system, monitoring mechanisms, and accountability. Yet, despite this, there is not even a wrinkle on the government's face. Neither has any minister resigned, nor have strict actions been taken against senior and responsible officials. Is this the definition of public safety?' Kamal Nath added.

Further, the Congress leader flagged the lack of inspection and drug quality monitoring in Madhya Pradesh and asked for action against the 'real culprits'.

He wrote, 'Had strict action been taken in time, many children's lives could have been saved, but what did the government do? It turned a blind eye to major issues and targeted small fry. By taking action against shopkeepers and lower-level employees, an attempt was made to brush the matter aside, but who are the real culprits? The drug manufacturing companies, their distribution networks, and the lack of inspection of those institutions... but no steps have been taken to clamp down on them yet.'

'The actions taken so far are merely a strategy to mislead. Divert the public's attention from the real questions and pin the blame on minor players for the entire matter,' he said.

Calling it 'murder of children', Kamal Nath added, 'This is not just a policy failure; it is akin to the murder of children. When our health department's oversight, drug quality monitoring, and registration regulations are so weak that poisonous drugs can easily reach the market, such outcomes are inevitable. The groans of families and countless questions arise. Should we simply accept that these childhood lives are mere sacrificial statistics? Absolutely not.'

Along with an SIT probe, the former CM requested standardised testing of all suspected cough syrups and immediate compensation for the affected families.

He said, 'We demand immediate action: Form an independent SIT (Special Investigation Team) under Supreme Court monitoring to investigate the duties of drug manufacturers, supply chains, and related officials. Conduct immediate and standardised testing of all suspected cough syrups across the state and take the strictest action against the guilty.'

'Initiate disciplinary and criminal investigations at the panel level against all officials whose negligence put children's lives at risk... mere cosmetic actions at the lower level will not suffice. Provide immediate compensation, medical, and livelihood support to affected families, and ensure justice for the kin of the deceased. Enforce strict control and transparency in the commercial registration and sale of such drugs to ensure no family ever has to endure this pain again,' he added.

Alleging flawed policies and a corrupt system, Kamal Nath said that the Congress will raise the issue on the streets and in the Legislative Assembly.

The Congress leader wrote, 'The Congress will not sit silently. We will raise the cries of these dying children from the streets to the assembly, fight till our last breath for justice, and take to the streets for accountability and systemic change. The government should understand that mere sloganeering, event management, and superficial actions will no longer suffice; we demand true accountability.

'This is not a series of administrative errors that can be covered up with a few departmental notices. It is the result of flawed policies and a corrupt system where the lives of the public hold no value. If the government still does not take serious steps, its silence will mark the beginning of its end,' the X post read.

Earlier on Sunday, several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, Kerala, have issued advisories and banned the Coldrif cough syrup.

Madhya Pradesh government has imposed an immediate ban on the sale of Coldrif and Nextro DS syrups along with along with the ban on the sale of other products manufactured by the same company. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, announced the ban in a post on X.

At least 14 deaths have been reported due to the alleged consumption of a cough syrup in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara, while eight children have been admitted to a hospital said an official on Sunday. (ANI)