According to the news agency ANI, Congress workers in Bhopal staged demonstrations against Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, demanding his resignation. Protesters carried banners with slogans such as “Rajendra Shukla sharam karo, istefaa do” and “Masoom bacche ki maut ke saudagar zimmedari lo.”
Simultaneously, protests were held in Jaipur, where Congress workers carried placards bearing slogans like “Nakli dawa band karo,” “Doshiyo ke khilaaf karwayi karo,” and “BJP sarkaar jawaab do.”
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also organized demonstrations outside Kaysons Pharma, demanding the immediate shutdown of the company. AAP worker Amit Dadhich accused the government of allowing counterfeit medicines to circulate, calling it a grave injustice. He revealed that several children are currently in the ICU after consuming the syrup, and even a doctor who took it fainted and was hospitalized.
Fellow party worker Ashutosh Ranka questioned how a company that was shut down two years ago could still be distributing medicines. He challenged the government to prove the safety of these drugs on camera.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has taken strict action against those involved in the tragedy. Dr. Pradeep Soni, a paediatrician from Parasia, Chhindwara, who had prescribed the syrup to multiple children, was suspended immediately on the orders of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and is now in police custody.
The police have also booked Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Tamil Nadu, the manufacturer of Coldrif syrup, as the prime accused under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Following the deaths, the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale of Coldrif syrup across the state.
In the last 30 days, 11 children have died due to kidney failure linked to the consumption of this syrup.
The Rajasthan government responded swiftly by suspending the state drug controller, halting the distribution of all medicines from Kaysons Pharma, and setting up an expert committee to investigate the matter. Additionally, warning labels will now be mandatory on potentially harmful drugs to ensure consumer safety.
In Delhi, the Union Health Ministry issued a nationwide advisory urging the rational use of cough syrups in children, highlighting the serious health risks associated with their misuse.
These developments have sparked significant public outcry and heightened scrutiny over drug safety regulations across India.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/nationwide-protests-erupt-over-cough-syrup-deaths-crackdown-on-pharma-firms-intensifies-23597308
