Communist Party of India (CPI) (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Chhattisgarh Health Minister Amar Agarwal, after eight women reportedly lost their lives and 30 others were left critical after undergoing a sterilization operation at a government camp in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district,
"I believe that the Health Minister has no right to continue his office and therefore we demand that the Health Minister of Chhattisgarh immediately resign and we also demand an end to the target based approach and full compensation to the women who have been victimized by this wrong policy approach," said Karat.
"It is shocking and condemnable, when we are claiming to be a country to be developing so fast, today we have a situation where eight women have died in a sterilization camp in Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. It's an indication and also a commentary on the extreme carelessness of the authorities of that state," she added.
She also said the tragedy was a direct result of target orientation because regardless of the consequences to the women concerned, the authorities just wanted to fulfill their target for the day.
The government has ordered an investigation into the incident and announced a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the eight deceased women.
Out of the 85 women who were operated upon at the government-run Nemi Chand hospital in the Pendari area of Bilaspur as part of a family planning camp almost 55 suffered due to the sterilization surgery.