LEFT PARTIES TO STAGE PROTEST

LUCKNOW: The Left parties will jointly stage a demonstration here on August 24, demanding significant improvement in health services and action against those responsible for the death of children at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur.

Giving this information, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Heera Lal Yadav said all Left parties, including the CPI, will participate in the protest.

He said the Left Front will also submit memorandum to the governor and the President through the local administration, demanding, among other things, resignation of the health minister, setting up a judicial probe into the Gorakhpur incident, and giving Rs 25 lakh compensation each to the victims’ families.

The Gorakhpur tragedy has led to the opposition targeting the BJP government in the state on the issue. On Saturday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi described the deaths at the medical college as a national tragedy. Earlier, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced aid for the next of kin of the victims.

The deaths sparked nationwide outrage. The National Human Rights Commission also issued a notice to the state government seeking a detailed report on the tragedy along with the steps taken for rehabilitation of the affected families and action taken against the guilty officers within four weeks.