BJP corporators protest infant deaths at Bhandup maternity home

The issue was first raised in the Assembly by former chief minister and Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday. Following this, all BJP corporators held a protest outside the corporation hall in BMC headquarters in CSMT. BJP group leader and corporator Prabhakar Shinde said these deaths were clearly due to negligence of the hospital administration.

“The NICU is being handled by a private agency. Despite a budget of Rs 4,000 crore for the health department, cases of negligence by civic hospitals are on the rise,” said Shinde. “Local BJP corporators had also complained about negligence by the private agency but no action was taken.”

A meeting of the public health committee was adjourned following the incident.

Meanwhile, public health committee chairperson Rajul Patel faced flak after a video went viral purportedly showing her having a verbal spat with relatives of victims who were protesting near Bhandup hospital. “Did you ask me when you were admitting your child in the hospital? Then what responsibility should we take? This is not right,” Patel purportedly says in the video. “The BMC is there to take the responsibility.”

The BJP criticized her for “insensitive” remarks.