Rahul Gandhi slams Centre, MP govt After 2 newborns Die Of Rat Bites At Indore hospital

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi strongly criticized the Centre and the Madhya Pradesh government after the shocking deaths of two newborns at Indore’s Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital. The infants, admitted in the paediatric surgery ward, were bitten by rats and later succumbed to their injuries.

Calling it “outright murder” instead of an accident, Rahul Gandhi accused the authorities of gross negligence and failure to provide even the most basic level of care. He said the incident was horrific, inhuman, and evidence of the government’s disregard for public health.

The two babies were attacked by rats on the night of August 30–31. One suffered injuries on the hand and the other on the shoulder. Despite doctors claiming that both were already in fragile condition due to congenital issues and infections, the presence of rats inside a neonatal ward triggered outrage across the country. One infant died on Tuesday, followed by the second on Wednesday.

Hospital authorities suspended the staff responsible and set up a high-level inquiry. Dr. Arvind Ghanghoria, Dean of MGM Medical College, admitted lapses in safety measures and promised a thorough investigation.

Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister should “hang their heads in shame,” arguing that healthcare had been increasingly privatized, leaving government hospitals unsafe “dens of death” for the poor. He added that when the government cannot ensure the safety of newborns, it has no moral right to rule.

The hospital staff reportedly noticed rats in the ward days before the tragedy but failed to lodge a formal complaint. Activists, including representatives from Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, have urged the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to conduct an independent probe. They alleged that serious negligence in hygiene and safety standards directly contributed to the infants’ deaths.

The heartbreaking incident has sparked nationwide anger and renewed questions about India’s public healthcare system.