By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitendra (Jitu) Patwari has delivered a blistering rebuke of the state government over the deaths of children allegedly linked to the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, demanding immediate accountability and a transparent probe.
Patwari said the episode exposed “blatant negligence and insensitivity” on the part of authorities, accusing them of ignoring earlier warnings issued by Tamil Nadu about a contaminated batch. He asked whether the state effectively held a “licence to kill” and urged the health minister to resign if there remained “any shred of responsibility or morality” in office.
The allegations follow laboratory findings that samples of the syrup contained diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic solvent known to cause fatal kidney damage, prompting immediate bans and seizures across several states. Officials in Madhya Pradesh have suspended the sale and distribution of the product while a special investigation team has been formed.
Patwari demanded a high-level, independent inquiry to establish how the contaminated batch entered the market, to identify culpable officials and company personnel, and to ensure swift, punitive action against those found responsible. He also called for proper compensation and support for the bereaved families and pledged that the Congress would press the issue “from the streets to the House” until justice is served.
The development has sparked wider concern and alerts from other state drug controllers and health authorities, who have urged parents to stop using the implicated batch and report any adverse effects immediately. The state government says it will not spare the guilty and has ordered further testing of pharmaceutical stocks.
