Bhubaneswar, Oct. 18: Politicians made a beeline at various hospitals to see the victims of Sum hospital fire mishap, who were rushed to various other locations for emergency treatment. Those who were not in the city, tweeted to express their condolences for the victims and wished a speedy recovery for those undergoing treatment.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik visited the Capital Hospital where patients from the tragedy-struck Sum hospital were rushed last night. Accompanied by health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, he met the patients and asked officials to provide free treatment expeditiously. He followed it up by visiting AIIMS and AMRI Hospital today, where more than 60 victims are undergoing treatment.
By the time the chief minister visited the hospital last night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to him over the phone and assured all possible support. Modi asked the Union health minister J.P. Nadda to make necessary arrangements for the treatment of critical patients at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, and visit the state capital to supervise the arrangements.
The PM said: "Deeply anguished by the loss of lives in the hospital fire in Odisha. The tragedy is mind-numbing. My thoughts are with bereaved families," on Twitter.
Modi's tweets followed those of senior BJP leaders, including party president Amit Shah, Union ministers J.P. Nadda, Jual Oram, Dharmendra Pradhan and senior state party leaders. Nadda is also scheduled to visit Bhubaneswar tomorrow morning to oversee the arrangements at AIIMS here.
At the Capital Hospital, leaders and supporters of the ruling BJD and other political parties vied for reaching out to the patients and their family members. Even supporters of chief minister and cadres of other political parties were seen raising slogans and counter slogans.
"This is a time when you can win the hearts of the people by expressing sympathy," said a senior BJD leader.
All the three city MLAs, city mayor and other ruling parties were seen at the Capital Hospital, while a ruling BJD MLA Prasant Jagdev got busy in a heated argument with senior police officials in an attempt to get the body of a mishap victim released.
Leaders of BJP and Congress also did not lag behind in registering their presence at the hospital. While a BJP delegation led by party's legislature party leader K.V. Singh Deo visited the hospital, the Congress legislators, who had gone to New Delhi, were scheduled to visit the Capital Hospital and other hospitals on their return today evening. PCC president Prasad Harichandan was one of the first Congress leader to visit the various hospitals. CPI general secretary D. Raja, who was also in the city, also visited the victims.
Activists of CPI(M) staged a demonstration in front of the health minister's official residence, demanding his resignation for the utter failure of the health department in handling the situation. Former Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik sought a judicial probe into the tragedy.
Congress MLAs led by leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra, visited the patients at various hospital today evening.
