Tragic Fire Sparks Political Outcry in Jaipur

A devastating fire in Jaipur's SMS Hospital trauma centre resulted in eight deaths and sparked political calls for accountability. Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra demanded the health minister's resignation, criticizing the state's crisis management. The incident occurred amid claims of ignored safety warnings and political interference.

A devastating fire at the SMS Hospital trauma centre in Jaipur has claimed eight lives, leading to a political outcry for accountability. Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra has called for the resignation of Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, blaming the state government's lack of preventive measures for the tragedy.

The fire, which broke out on Sunday night, ravaged the neuro ICU, where six of the 11 patients under critical care died. Fourteen patients from another ICU were evacuated, with two subsequently passing away. The tragedy has stirred accusations from Dotasra, who condemned the BJP-led state administration as a "parchiwali sarkar," insinuating undue central control and bureaucratic inefficiency.

Dotasra alleged the hospital's staff ignored warnings of electrical sparks prior to the fire, and criticized the hospital superintendent's claims that deaths resulted from smoke inhalation rather than the fire itself. He also accused the chief minister of erasing evidence during a hospital visit post-incident. Despite the impending Assembly bypoll in Baran district, Dotasra remains confident of a Congress victory, asserting that the party will address public suffering more effectively than the current government.

(With inputs from agencies.)