Munish Sood
kullu
The alleged medical negligence case involving the d*eath of a woman during childbirth at the Regional Hospital, Kullu, has snowballed into a major political controversy, with former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur on Tuesday describing the facts emerging from the incident as “shocking” and demanding a fair and speedy investigation to ensure justice for the bereaved family.
The case relates to the d*eath of Rajni Devi, alias Manju Sharma, whose family has alleged gross medical negligence, inhuman treatment and verbal abuse by hospital staff during her delivery. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with several organisations staging a protest outside the hospital for the past two days, demanding strict action against those responsible.
Joining the protesters on Tuesday, Thakur visited the Regional Hospital, where he met representatives of the agitating organisations and members of the victim’s family. He assured them of his full support and said the BJP would continue to stand with the family until justice was delivered.
Earlier in the day, the Leader of Opposition visited the victim’s ancestral home at Sunaru in Bali Chowki, where he met her husband and other family members, expressed his condolences and assured them that every effort would be made to ensure accountability in the case.
Thakur later met hospital authorities and sought a detailed account of the circumstances leading to the woman’s death. He also sought an explanation from the district administration over the alleged lapses.
Speaking to reporters, Thakur said the information that had surfaced so far pointed towards serious lapses in medical care as well as alleged misconduct with the patient and her attendants.
“The facts that have come to light are deeply disturbing. This daughter belonged to my own Assembly constituency. If the allegations are found to be true, they raise serious questions about the functioning of the hospital. There have been complaints from several other families regarding negligence and rude behaviour at the Regional Hospital, Kullu. Such incidents can severely undermine public confidence in the government healthcare system,” he said.
Thakur clarified that his criticism was not directed at the entire medical fraternity but at individuals whose conduct had come under serious scrutiny. He said the government must act firmly against anyone found guilty after a fair investigation.
The former Chief Minister said he would raise the issue with the Chief Minister, the Health Minister and the Health Secretary and seek a report on the action taken so far. He stressed that the victim’s family should receive justice without delay.
During the visit, former minister Govind Singh Thakur, MLA Surender Shourie, BJP district president Amit Sood, Narottam Thakur, Danvendra Singh and several other BJP leaders and workers were present.
Thakur also referred to the Vimal Negi death case, saying the family deserved a fair investigation. While noting that the matter was under investigation, he alleged that observations made by the investigating agency had raised serious concerns regarding the handling of the case by the state government. He urged the government to allow the probe to proceed independently so that the truth could emerge without interference.
The BJP has demanded a transparent, impartial and time-bound inquiry into the maternal death case and warned that its agitation would continue until those responsible are held accountable and justice is delivered to the victim’s family.
