Bickering Between Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot Over Kota Hospital Deaths Continues

The Kota hospital tragedy which claimed the lives of 110 infants continues to haunt Rajasthan politics. and there seems to be no end to the bickering between Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot and deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.

On Thursday, the chief minister observed that good governance comes from teamwork. He added that party leaders should give suggestions and help provide solutions. Gehlot further said that the observations of the deputy chief minister who is also the PCC chief need to be taken seriously.

On his visit to the Kota hospital, Sachin pilot told media persons earlier that The state government higher-ups, implying the chief minister, health minister and other officials, could have shown more compassion and sympathy. It is necessary for us to accept our flaws in the system and try to fix them, Pilot added. "We should be accountable just as we expect accountability from others", Pilot remarked and said that the government needs to fix responsibility for the tragic deaths of 110 infants.

As if in response to Sachin Pilot's remarks, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma, obliquely blamed the Deputy Chief Minister for lack of facilities and the dearth of upgraded equipment in the Kota Hospital saying that the PWD wing had not released sufficient funds. He implied that It was Sachin Pilot's ministry which had held back funds for the development of the hospital.

Sachin Pilot hit back saying that his department had released sufficient funds, according to media reports.

This unpleasant exchange of words between chief minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot does not bode well for the Congress in Rajasthan. Clearly the two camps have been sniping at each other for some time. It remains to be seen if the high command would intervene to bring the squabbling between the two senior leaders of Rajasthan to an end.