Daijiworld Media Network - Indore

Indore, Sep 4: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a scathing attack on the Madhya Pradesh government on Thursday, calling the tragic death of a newborn bitten by rodents at a state-run hospital "not an accident, but outright murder."

The incident occurred at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH) in Indore — the largest government hospital in Madhya Pradesh — where two newborns were bitten by rats. One of the infants, a baby girl, later died.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi expressed outrage, saying,

“This is not just horrifying and inhuman — it's a chilling reminder of the government's complete failure. A mother lost her child from her arms simply because the state could not ensure basic hospital hygiene.”

He described the incident as emblematic of deeper systemic failure, accusing the BJP-led state government of dismantling public healthcare and pushing citizens toward expensive private hospitals.

“Government hospitals have become death traps for the poor, while the system caters only to the wealthy,” he wrote.

Gandhi also slammed the standard response from the administration — ordering an inquiry — saying it fails to address the root cause of negligence.

“How can a government that can’t protect newborns claim to govern a state?”

He further added, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister should hang their heads in shame. Your government has stripped the poor of their right to healthcare — and now even the child from a mother’s lap is not safe.”

The shocking incident unfolded earlier this week when hospital staff discovered two injured newborns in the NICU. CCTV footage reportedly showed rats jumping into a crib near the infants. Hospital authorities quickly launched a probe and formed a six-member medical committee to investigate the incident.

Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, who also oversees the Health Department, confirmed that a formal inquiry is underway.

However, the damage, critics say, is already done. Public outrage is mounting, with many questioning how such an incident could occur in a top-tier government hospital.

As investigations proceed, pressure is building on the state administration to not only fix accountability but also urgently address the appalling state of public health infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.